Last gasp Grogan goal send Tipp through
A 75th-minute Stephen Grogan goal saved Tipperary’s Tailteann Cup hopes to eliminate Wexford in a dramatic twist at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
GAA: Tailteann Cup Group 2 Round 3
Tipperary 3-5
Wexford 0-12
Report: Stephen Barry at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Seán Nolan (Wexford).
SCORERS – Tipperary: Seán O’Connor, Stephen Grogan 1-1 each; Paudie Feehan 1-0; Evan Comerford (free), Eoghan Power, Peter McGarry 0-1 each.
Wexford: Seán Nolan 0-7 (2 frees); Darragh Lyons, Liam Coleman, Páraic Hughes, Eoghan Nolan, Jack Higgins 0-1 each.
The Model County had taken control with a six-point surge, led by the outstanding Seán Nolan, but Paudie Feehan launched a Hail Mary sideline into the square and Grogan rose highest to flick it home. The Cahir rookie’s second goal in two games secured a first win for Tipp in four months and third place in Group 2, enough to advance to a preliminary quarter-final next weekend against Limerick.
The Premier overcame the absences of injury victims Conor Sweeney and Steven O’Brien, although Stephen Quirke and Colm O’Shaughnessy were fit to start among four late changes to the published team. The latter would limp off before half-time.
Wexford blasted four goals in their League meeting, but the trend was reversed as Tipp nabbed two in the first half to go in 2-1 to 0-6 ahead, despite a shot count weighted 16-6 for the Model County.
Wexford were up and running early with points from Eoghan and Seán Nolan (free) but their next four shots were skewed wide.
Out of the blue, Tipp stole ahead with an eleventh minute goal. It was a Clonmel Commercials combo as Peter McGarry’s ball over the top met Seán O’Connor’s backdoor cut to find the net.
Páraic Hughes levelled, but in the 20th minute, Tipp raised their second green flag. This time it was brother to brother as Jimmy Feehan sent younger sibling Paudie through a gap. He raced untouched to the 21 before rifling a brilliant finish to the bottom corner.
A handpassed Stephen Grogan point from a neatly-worked move made it 2-1 to 0-3. The latter two scores both originated from Emmet Moloney turnovers.
Wexford ended with three superb points from distance by Seán Nolan, two off his right and one off the left.
Tipp’s lead was the minimum, but they padded it out with the first three points of the second half. Stephen Quirke’s aerial ability created the first pair as McGarry blazed over when in on goal and substitute Eoghan Power chipped a point before Evan Comerford landed a long-range free.
Wexford reasserted their stranglehold on possession to regain the lead by the 56th minute. Páraic Hughes was growing in influence to assist four points in a row and win the free for a fifth. Seán Nolan did most of the finishing with three points plus scores from Darragh Lyons, substitute Jack Higgins, and captain Liam Coleman, 0-12 to 2-4 with eleven minutes to play.
Wexford wouldn’t score again through a combination of wides and killing the clock. Tipp errors slowed their progress, but Eoghan Power’s kick pass located Sean O’Connor for a vital point in the 66th minute.
The gap was one, but a draw was useless to both sides. Wexford played keep ball for the first half of the five added minutes, but a visibly cramping Jimmy Feehan twice came up with huge turnovers to block Dylan Furlong and then force Coleman over the sideline.
That was just the platform needed to snatch a long-awaited moment of glory for this Tipp team.
TEAMS – Tipperary: Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); Emmet Moloney (Portlaoise), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule, Capt); Stephen Grogan (Cahir), Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers); Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Conall Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials); Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields), James Morris (Clonmel Commercials), Peter McGarry (Clonmel Commercials); Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Seán O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials), Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers).
Subs: Eoghan Power (Ballina) for O’Shaughnessy (30 inj), Shane O’Connell (Golden Kilfeacle) for Moloney (50 inj), Conor Cadell (JK Brackens) for Boland (52), Mark Russell (Aherlow) for Quirke (62), Darragh Brennan (Ballyporeen) for McGarry (70+4).
Wexford: William Foley; Eoin Porter, Gavin Sheehan, Liam O’Connor; Dylan Furlong, Páraic Hughes, Glen Malone; Liam Coleman (Capt), Darragh Lyons; Niall Hughes, Kevin O’Grady, Mark Rossiter; Eoghan Nolan, Seán Nolan, Conor Kinsella.
Subs: Cian Hughes for Kinsella (HT), Tom Byrne for Rossiter (44), Jack Higgins for O’Grady (49), Jonathan Bealin for E Nolan (52), Richie Waters for S Nolan (68, inj).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).