A league campaign to forget ends in another defeat for Tipperary footballers
Tipp were beaten by six points in Carrick-on-Shannon
Tipperary brought their Allianz National Football League Division 4 campaign to a close on Sunday in Avant Money Páirc Sean MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, as they pushed Leitrim all the way to the finish, but lacked the scoring threat to trouble the hosts.
Leitrim sealed promotion to Division 3 for 2025 when Wexford beat Longford in Chadwicks Wexford Park but this was far from a comfortable outing for them, as they had to battle tremendously hard to subdue the challenge posed by Paul Kelly’s troops.
While the victory was ultimately comfortable with a six-point winning margin, there were just four points between the teams with 13 minutes of normal time remaining, as a Tipperary team who struggled to make headways in attack stubbornly held onto Leitrim’s coat-tails.
Eventually Tipperary’s lack of an inside scoring threat came back to haunt them, as the massed defence of the home side meant they were never able to generate the momentum they needed to cause a shock.
At times, Leitrim looked as if they were going to steamroll the Premier County but an abundance of caution may have meant that Andy Moran’s side never really cut loose, leaving Leitrim fans fretting. Those nerves were set jangling when Tipperary hit four unanswered points to take the lead in the first half, with only a point between the sides at the interval.
The second half was equally tense, Leitrim not truly pulling away until the final 15 minutes. Yet for all Tipperary’s toil and undoubted stubbornness, there was never any real sense that Leitrim were in danger.
A new look Tipp in the early stages of a massive rebuilding project asked a few questions but they were easily answered by a confident Leitrim.
Leitrim got off to a bright start with Darragh Rooney firing over two points inside the first six minutes.
Three points to the good, Leitrim failed to push on and after a timid start, Tipperary started to grow into the game, Jack Kennedy’s mark after 15 minutes opening their account before 'keeper Evan Comerford scored a staggering point from 60-plus yards out on the left wing, a booming effort that cleared the crossbar with space to spare.
The visitors drew level when a good run from Tadhg Condon released Conal Kennedy for a point 22 minutes in. Incredibly and to the growing murmurs among the Leitrim crowd, Tipp took the lead when they won their own kickout, Paddy Creedon running through the middle to score.
Conor Reynolds set up Donal Wrynn for a fine point on 25 minutes before Evan Comerford showed his prowess as a stopper, sticking out a foot to deny Barry McNulty a certain goal after the ball fell to the Glencar Manorhamilton player when Tom Prior’s shot came off the post.
Leitrim went back in front thanks to a Darragh Rooney point but it was tit for tat now, Jack Kennedy replying with a 40 yard outside of the boot score. Rooney (free) and Shane Neville swapped points but another Rooney free in added time gave Leitrim a 0-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.
The home side made a big push again to start the second half with another Tom Prior run seeing the ball end up with Ryan O’Rourke, who turned to fire over a smart point. Three minutes later a Darragh Rooney free put Leitrim three up again.
Following a Ryan O’Rourke score. Jack Kennedy came back with a fine Tipperary point.
Ryan O’Rourke scored for Leitrim after 49 minutes but a brilliant point from Tipperary sub Mark Russell from the left wing kept Leitrim fans on edge, the gap again back to three points.
However, Leitrim would not be denied, as they outscored the visitors four points to one down the home stretch, Aidan Flynn ghosting into space near the Tipperary goal to fist the ball over the bar on 51 minutes. Two minutes later, Rooney boomed over a 50 yard free and suddenly Leitrim were beginning to relax.
Jack Kennedy’s free on 56 minutes was Tipperary’s last but with few scores, or even scoring chances, Leitrim fans didn’t truly begin to relax until Ryan O’Rourke took a long ball, worked some space and fired over with just over five minutes of normal time left.
Darragh Rooney completed the scoring with just over a minute remaining in normal time from a free.
Tipperary’s Paudie Feehan fisted a high ball into the Leitrim area straight at 'keeper Nevin O’Donnell, before Dolan shot wide on the break, but it did nothing to lessen the celebrations once referee Maggie Farrelly sounded the final whistle.
LEITRIM: Scorers: Daragh Rooney 0-7, 5f; Ryan O’Rourke 0-6, 2f; Tom Prior and Donal Wrynn 0-1 each
Team: Nevin O'Donnell; Conor Reynolds, Donal Casey, Aidan Flynn; Donal Wrynn, Mark Diffley, Jack Foley; Jack Gilheaney, Pearce Dolan, Mark Plunkett, Ryan O'Rourke, Barry McNulty; Tom Prior, Darragh Rooney, Riordan O'Rourke.
Subs: Shane Quinn for Plunkett (49); James Rooney for Reynolds (52); Paul Keaney for Prior (60); Niall Walsh for Riordan O'Rourke (64); Evan Sweeney for D Rooney (69).
TIPPERARY: Scorers: Jack Kennedy 0-4, 1M, 1f: Mark Russell, Evan Comerford, Shane Neville, Conal Kennedy and Paddy Creedon 0-1 each.
Team: Evan Comerford; Tadhg Condon, Jimmy Feehan, James Morris; Stephen Grogan, Paudie Feehan, Kieran Costello; Shane Neville, Conal Kennedy; Colm O'Shaughnessy, Teddy Doyle, Peter McGarry; Michael Lowry, Paddy Creedon, Jack Kennedy.
Subs: Conor Cadell for Lowry (HT); Mark Russell for Creedon (42); Jack Kennedy for McGarry (53); Jack Leamy for Neville (57); Rory O'Dowd for C Kennedy (61).
Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan).