Another national league defeat for misfiring Tipperary footballers

Cavan 1-19 Tipperary 1-7

After a good opening ten minutes in Kingspan Breffni, where David Power’s team led by four points, Cavan recovered to claim the Allianz National Football League Division 3 points on Sunday with a comfortable 12 points to spare.

Tipperary had recorded four competitive wins at this venue in the last 15 seasons. However, apart from that early flurry, where the visitors scored 1-2 in a five minute spell to open a four-point lead, they were second best, as Cavan played a gear above the Premier County. 

Three well-struck, long-range frees off the ground from Jack Kennedy and a well-taken goal, after a high ball found Sean O’Connor with a height advantage, helped Tipp into a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after 14 minutes, with Oisin Brady (free) and Dara McVeety on the mark for the home side.

McVeety, back in the Cavan squad for the first time since 2019, was the best player on show, kicking three eye-catching first-half points from centre back. Ryan O’Neill (mark), McVeety and three from Oisin Brady – two frees and a cracker from play – nudged Cavan in front, and there they would stay.

A poor wide from a close-range free seemed to demoralise Tipperary, who were struggling on their own kickout. A Brady free and one from play from McVeety extended Cavan's advantage, with Cavan now leading by three having scored seven without reply.

Tipperary needed a response and Mikey O’Shea’s left-footed point from play ended a 17-minute spell without a score. 

Worryingly for the 2020 Munster champions, Cavan full forward O’Neill, who was outnumbered four to one, reacted quickest to a break off the woodwork. With sheer desire O’Neill engineered a goal, despite the odds being stacked in the Tipperary defenders' favour, giving Cavan a 1-9 to 1-4 lead. 

Martin Reilly added a point just before half-time to give the Ulster team a six-point lead at the midway point.

Tipperary would have the advantage of the wind for the second half but it would take an increase in performance to turn the tide around. 

The start of the second half was forgettable, as the tempo dropped. Centre forward Mikey O’Shea was replaced at half-time on a temporary substitution but didn’t return to the field of play, and ten minutes later Steven O’Brien fell to the same fate. 

Wing back Tiarnan Madden extended Cavan’s lead on the resumption.

Two well-taken frees by Jack Kennedy once again closed the gap to five points, which was as close as the margin would get.

Oisin Brady pointed from play and a mark brought forward to a tap-over free for remonstrations by the Tipp defence saw Cavan regain a commanding control of the game. 

The match petered out in the final quarter, as Sean O’Connor added a mark to his tally in the 22nd minute of the second half.

However, this turned out to be Tipperary's final score. The energetic O’Neill added a point for Cavan, bringing his total for the day to a goal and two points.

Former All-Star Raymond Galligan sailed over a 45 and two scores from play for sub Brandon Boylan cemented Cavan’s dominance. The excellent Niall Carolan also got on the scoresheet late on, and sub Paddy Lynch finished off a slick hand passing passage of play deep into injury time, adding salt to the Tipperary wounds. 

With this weekend free, David Power will get some time to prepare for a massive clash on Sunday February 19 at FBD Semple Stadium against Antrim, who are also with no wins from two games in the league. 

Cavan: R Galligan (0-1 45), E Finnegan, P Faulkner, N Carolan (0-1), Ciaran Brady, D McVeety (0-3), T Madden (0-1), D Brady, K Clarke, O Kiernan, Cian Madden, J McCabe, M Reilly (0-1), R O’Neill (1-2, 0-1 mark), O Brady (0-7, 4 frees, 1 mark).

Subs: R Donohoe for D Brady (45 minutes), P Lynch (0-1) for M Reilly (52), B Boylan (0-2) for J McCabe (58), C Moynagh for C Brady (62), Conor Madden for R O’Neill (66).

Tipperary: M O’Reilly, S O’Connell, J Feehan, D Carew, K Fahey, C O’Shaughnessy, E Moloney, C Deely, J Kennedy (0-5, 4 frees, 1 45), M Russell, M O’Shea (0-1), T Doyle, L McGrath, S O’Brien, S O’Connor (1-1, 0-1 mark).

Subs: C Cadell for M O’Shea (ht), L Boland for S O’Brien (45 minutes), W Eviston for C Deely (55), C Kennedy for C O’Shaughnessy, M Stokes for L McGrath, Paul Maher for S O’Connor (all 59), Tommy Maher for Russell (68).

Referee: B Judge (Sligo).