Tipperary footballers begin life under Niall Fitzgerald with encouraging display

Kerry 2-15 Tipperary 1-15

Niall Fitzgerald had his first outing as Tipperary senior football manager in the Dillon Quirke Foundation fundraiser game against All-Ireland champions Kerry at Fethard Town Park on Saturday evening.

This was his first game in charge following the sad passing of Philly Ryan in October. The Clonmel Commercials legend was remembered at half-time when a presentation was made to his family from Fethard Town Park, where a tree has been planted in his honour.

Both teams had a number of this year’s Under 20 players in their starting line-ups, while Tipperary also gave a first start between the posts to Kilsheelan’s Shane Garland, a former Monaghan underage player who was also understudy to Rory Beggan for a couple of seasons. Garland featured as an outfield player with Kilsheelan Kilcash during this year’s county championship.

While Tipperary opened the scoring, it was the visitors who made the early running as they led by two points after five minutes. The home side trailed by a point coming up to the 21st minute, but a passing move by The Kingdom ended with a major, finished by Thomas O’Donnell. Aided by the wind, they finished the stronger and led by five at the break.

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Darragh Brennan was introduced to the Tipperary attack on the restart and he quickly changed the game, kicking three points in five minutes. The Tipperary attack was moving well and Brennan found the net on 48 minutes to put them one clear.

However, The Kingdom were back in front following a goal from Darragh O’Connor on 53 minutes. While the home team cut the deficit to two, late Kerry points left the gap at three at the long whistle.

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Kerry played with the aid of a strong wind for the opening 35 minutes, but it was Sean O’Connor who got the scoreboard moving in the second minute. Donagh O’Sullivan equalised from a placed ball two minutes later before minors from Paddy Lane and Ruairí Murphy gave the visitors a two-point advantage.

Tipperary were lucky in the sense that Murphy’s shot smashed the crossbar before going over, following a run through the centre. Then Cian Smith converted a free from out on the right.

Tomás Kennedy and Cillian Trant pushed the advantage out to three after 17 minutes. Kerry were creating a few goal chances but failed to find the target and a shot from Donal O’Sullivan was cleared off the line.

Points from Cian Smith and Luke Boland cut the deficit to the minimum before Thomas O’Donnell found the net on 21 minutes to finish off a good passing move.

Sean O’Connor pointed following a bursting run through the centre, but Tadhg Morley cancelled that out. A converted Sean O’Connor free from out on the open side left three points between the sides but the visitors closed out the half with points from Thomas O’Donnell and Donagh O’Sullivan. The half-time score was Kerry 1-8 Tipperary 0-6.

Kerry introduced nine replacements for the second half, while Tipperary introduced Manus McFadden in defence and Darragh Brennan to the attack. Darragh O’Connor kicked the opening point after the restart, before Darragh Brennan was quickly into the action and kicked a wonderful point with his first touch. Brennan kicked two more points inside five minutes, either side of a converted free from Darragh O’Connor.

For the second half Kerry had three Darragh O’Connors on the field.

Cillian Trant kicked his second minor, before Niall Heffernan had his goalbound shot diverted over by the Kerry ‘keeper at the expense of a point. The introduction of Ballyporeen’s Brennan to the Tipp attack opened up the game considerably, and the Kerry defence were under a lot of pressure.

Sean O’Connor kicked a two-pointer on 45 minutes and three minutes later Brennan started and finished a move that yielded a Tipperary goal to pout them into a one-point lead. He turned over an attempted Kerry clearance before laying off to Cian Smith, who in turn found Sean O’Connor and the Clonmel Commercials man set up Brennan, who made no mistake from close range.

Darragh O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahilly’s) equalised from a place ball, before Darragh O’Connor (Beaufort) beat Shane Garland for a second Kerry goal. Garland had earlier denied O’Connor with a top class save. The final ten minutes were evenly matched, and while Tipperary tried hard to eat into the lead, two late Sean O’Connell points ensured a three point victory for the Kingdom.

Scorers: Tipperary: Darragh Brennan (1-3), Sean O’Connor (0-5, 1x2pt, 1f), Cian Smith (0-4, 2f), Luke Boland (0-1), Niall Heffernan (0-1), Michael Barlow (0-1).

Kerry: Thomas O’Donnell (1-1), Darragh O’Connor (Beaufort, 1-1), Darragh O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahilly’s, 0-3, 2f), Donagh O’Sullivan (0-2,1f), Sean O’Connell (0-2), Cillian Trant (0-2), Tadhg Morley (0-1), Tomás Kennedy (0-1), Ruairí Murphy (0-1), Paddy Lane (0-1).

Tipperary: Shane Garland (Kilsheelan Kilcash), Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore Castleiney), Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers), Paudie Feehan (captain, Killenaule), Charlie King (Ballina), Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields), Ben Comerford (Grangemockler Ballyneale), Niall Heffernan (Golden Kilfeacle), Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers), Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials), Sean O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials), Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers).
Subs: Darragh Brennan (Ballyporeen) for Ben Comerford (HT), Manus McFadden (Grangemockler Ballyneale) for Eoin O’Connell (HT), Michael Barlow (Ardfinnan) for Paddy O’Keeffe (54), Jack Nevin (JK Brackens) for Jack Harney (63), Darragh McVicker (Clonmel Óg) for Paudie Feehan (64), Paudie Bradshaw (Éire Óg Annacarty Donohill) for Darragh Brennan (inj.70), Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers) for Luke Boland (inj.70).

Kerry: Michael Tansley, Eddie Healy, Dan Murphy, Liam Evans, Armin Heinrich, Tadhg Morley (captain), David Roche, Liam Smith, Cillian Trant, Donagh O’Sullivan, Ruairí Murphy, Thomas O’Donnell, Paddy Lane, Donal O’Sullivan, Tomás Kennedy.
Subs: Joey Nagle (33), Seán Broderick, Sean O’Connell, Darragh O’Connor (Kenmare Shamrocks), Cian O’Grady, Darragh O’Connor (Beaufort), Evan Boyle, Kieran O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Connor (Kerins O Rahilly’s), Gearóid Hassett (all half-time).

Referee: Willie Fitzharris (Fr Sheehy’s, Tipperary).