Tipp leave revival too late against Down

Tipperary1-11

Down2-11

By Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

Tipperary got off to a losing start to division 3 of the National Football League as Down left Thurles with the points on Saturday night.

The visitors took control from the off with Pat Havern kicking the first of his three points from play in the half after five minutes. They were three to the good by the time Tipp opened their account from a Sean O’Connor free after sixteen minutes, but they struggled to breach a well organised Down defence, not helped by cheap turnovers, and from one such counter-attack, Eamon Brown played in Havern for a 20th minute goal to help Down into a 1-6 to 0-2 half time lead.

Tipp were so poor they failed to register a shot at goal from open play in the first half, but captain Conor Sweeney put that right with a 38th minute point, and were further boosted by the sending off of Niall McParland for a second bookable offence two minutes later.

The hosts reduced the arrears to four but a costly mistake by goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly allowed Conor Francis in for a 61st minute goal but Teddy Doyle cancelled that out two minutes later, however his sending off for a second yellow card in added time ended Tipp’s hopes of taking something from the game.

Full report and analysis in this Wednesday's Nenagh Guardian

Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly; Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan, Dean Carew; Kevin Fahey, Colm O’Shaughnessy, Emmet Moloney; Luke Boland, Jack Kennedy (0-1f); Mark Stokes, Mikey O’Shea (0-1), Teddy Doyle (1-0); Liam McGrath, Conor Sweeney (0-4, 3f), Sean O’Connor (0-1f).

Subs: Cathal Deeley for Boland (32 inj); Steven O’Brien for O’Connor (HT); Conor Cadell for Stokes (44); Mark Russell (0-2) for Moloney (51); Donough Leahy (0-2) for Sweeney (63 inj).

Down: John O’Hare; Ryan McEvoy, Pierce Laverty, Ryan Magill; Micheal Rooney, Niall McParland, Conor Francis (1-0); Niall Donnelly, Odhran Murdock (0-1); Gerard Collins; Donnach McAleenan, Liam Kerr; Eamon Brown (0-2), Pat Havern (1-4, 0-1f), Barry O’Hagan (0-2f).

Subs: Andrew Gilmore (0-2, 1f) for Brown (45); Colum Doherty for Rooney (46); Conor Fitzpatrick for Donnelly (58); Declan McClements for McAleenan (61); Patrick Branagan for Collins (70).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare)