Magnificent Tipperary fully deserve stunning victory in Cavan

ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 4 (Round 5)

CAVAN  1-7  1-11 TIPPERARY

Tipperary pulled off a magnificent victory in Kingspan Breffni, Cavan this afternoon overcoming the mantle of outsiders to stun an up to now unbeaten Cavan side.

Tipperary showed tremendous character right throughout and were full value for their victory. A outstanding workmanlike performance especially in defence kept Cavan to just three scores in the second half, all coming from frees.

Tipperary were rocked by a goal just before the interval but emerged to re-dominate the second half and were on their way inside two minutes with a Mark Russell point.

Cavan replied with a Caomhin O’Reilly free but the next three scores were all for Tipp, a Conor Sweeney free, a free off the ground into the wind by Jack Kennedy but Sweeney made it 1-9 to 1-5 after 12 minutes when marking an excellent delivery from Bill Maher.

There only other scores in the second half were a Conor Sweeney free with Jack Kennedy providing David Power’s side with their final score of the day, after good work by his brother Conal and Bill Maher in the lead-up.

But perhaps the hero of the hour for Tipperary was goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly - who else when playing in Cavan - who pulled off two superb goal bound saves as well as tidying up once or twice more when under pressure in defence.

But without doubt this was Tipp’s best day of the campaign to date and with homes games to come v Carlow and London, promotion is now back in their own hands.

Tipperary went in at half-time leading 1-5 to 1-4, rocked by Cavan who goaled with the very last kick of the first half. It was a huge psychological blow for the Premier who had put in a magnificent workmanlike performance from the off with all 15 playing their socks off.

Tipp opened the scoring through a Conor Sweeney free with Cavan levelling in the fourth minute through Caoimhin Lynch. Mark Russell edged the visitors ahead with a fine individual point soon afterwards.

Tipp suffered a blow with a black card for Bill Maher in the eighth minute but managed to be 3-2 ahead when he returned 10 minutes later with points from Sean O’Connor for Tipp and Gerard Smith for Cavan.

Tipp goaled in the 21st minute with Conor Sweeney finishing off an excellent move involving Teddy Doyle, Jack Kennedy, Robbie Kiely and Michael O’Reilly the initiator.

A Sean O’Connor free then put them 1-5 to 0-3 to the good on 25 minutes after Colm O’Shaughnessy had made the run to win it.

Cavan were having plenty of possession but magnificent defending tby Tipperary was keeping them at bay, the Ulster side limited to a well struck free Patrick Lynch.

And then the final minute of the half. A superb move up the right by Tipp involving defenders Kevin Fahey and Shane O’Connell saw the Golden man desperately unlucky to see his fisted effort come back off the upright. The resultant play from defence from Cavan saw Caoimhin O’Reilly goal in the 39th minute and Tipp were so unlucky to be going in with just a single point to spare instead of the deserved four.

TIPPERARY

Michael O'Reilly (Clonmel Commercials) Shane O'Connell (Golden Kilfeacle), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Colm O'Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Robbie Kiely (Barryroe, Cork), Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Mark Russell (Aherlow, 0-2), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, 0-2, 0-1F), Teddy Boyle (Ballina, 0-1), Mikey O'Shea (CJ Kickhams, Mullinahone), Conor Sweeney (capt., Ballyporeen, 1-4, 0-3F, 0-1M), Sean O'Connor (Clonmel Commercials, 0-2).

Subs used: Stephen Quirke, Cathal Deely, Willie Eviston, Eanna McBride, Jason Lonergan.

Subs:

Shane Ryan (Clonmel Commercials)

Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers) 

Cathal Deely  (Clonmel Commercials)

Willie Eviston (Loughmore Castleiney)

Ciaran Cannon (Clonmel Commercials)

Billy Hewitt (Ardfinnan)

Martin Kehoe (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone)

Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials)

Eanna McBride (JK Brackens)

Tommy Maher (Loughmore Castleiney)

Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers)

CAVAN

Raymond Galligan (capt), Evan Finnagan, Padraig Faulkner, Killian Brady, Jason McLoughlin (0-1), Conor Moynagh, Oisin Kiernan, James Smith, Michael Argue, Gerard Smith (0-1), Gearóid McKiernan (0-1), Cian Madden, Caoimhín O’Reilly (1-2, 0-1F), Patrick Lynch (0-2F, Chris Conroy.

Subs:

Liam Brady

Benjamin Kelly

Cormac O’Reilly

Conor Madden

Cian Reilly

Jack McKenna

Luke Fortune

Thomas Edward Donohue

Niall Murray

Stephen Smith

Cillian Clarke