TAILTEANN CUP (Group 2 Round 2)
TIPPERARY 0-6 DOWN 2-18
What has been a very disappointing year for Tipperary football descended into the depths of despair at FBD Semple Stadium this afternoon with Tipperary suffering an 18 points defeat to Down in Round 2 of the Tailteann Cup. Having lost by just three points to the same opposition in Thurles in the league in late January, Tipperary went into this game hoping they could turn the tables on the opposition, but apart from a few minutes at the start of the game they were brutally exposed by the visitors. The final whistle came as welcome relief for an outclassed home side.
The defeat now means that Tipperary, even if they can psyche themselves up for their final Tailteann Cup game against Waterford in two weeks time, will have a big job to stay in this competition. With a -29 points deficit, securing one of the three places for third placed teams looks outside of Tipperary’s reach now.
Five points down at the break, Tipperary could manage two points throughout the whole of the second half, one from half-time sub Teddy Doyle and the other in the 57th minute from Jack Kennedy who contributed four of Tipperary’s six scores.
But in that second half Down came out a much improved side and trounced Tipp 2-9 to 0-2, putting their pre-interval wastefulness aside. Quite simply Tipperary had no answer to the one-way traffic and when they did get a chance in the 41st minute with a penalty, won by Sean O’Connor, Kevin Fahey stepped up but his effort at the top corner went wide.
Within two minutes Down were raising a green flag at the Killinan End via Shealan Johnston to go 1-11 to 0-5 up. The rout was well completed with a second goal scored by Odhran Murdock just before the hour mark. Indeed there was a let-off a minute later when Ryan Johnston saw an effort come back off the crossbar.
At half-time Down led by 0-9 to 0-4 and weren’t over flattered by that five points advantage. For the most part they dominated proceedings and had their forwards being sharper upfront they could have been ahead by much more at the break.
In the opening half, which was very much of a stop-start nature, the Mournemen also kicked nine wides and Tipp also had Jimmy Feehan to thank for a super goal line save from a Ryan Johnston thunderbolt after 18 minutes.
Tipp led twice in the opening minutes through two excellent points from play from Sean O’Connor and Jack Kennedy, both cancelled out by Pat Havern frees for the Ulster side by the 10th minute. But the signs were ominous as in that early period Down were wasteful in the extreme kicking five wides inside eight minutes and seeing a few movements also breaking down with the final pass. Without such profligacy into the Town End, Tipperary would have been in much great trouble.
The pace of the Mournemen was forcing Tipperary into fouling and four of their first five points were frees converted by Havern, the same player also having their first score from play in the 21st minute.
Ceilium Doherty with another close-in free made 0-6 to 0-2 soon afterwards as the Ulstermen began to settle more and two fisted points from Ryan Johnston and Daniel Guinness put Down further ahead. Tipp eventually got a response with two frees in added time from Jack Kennedy, with Down replying with a Shealan Johnston point from play sandwiched in between.
Tipperary:
Michael O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials), Shane O’Connell (Golden/Kilfeacle), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Willie Eviston (Loughmore/Castleiney), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Colm O’Shaugnessy (Ardfinnan), Colman Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule), Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Emmet Moloney (Drom/Inch), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, 0-4, 0-2F), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers), Mark Russell (Aherlow), Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers), Sean O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials, 0-1).
Subs: Teddy Doyle (Ballina, 0-1) for Paudie Feehan (HT); James Morris (Clonmel Commercials) for Conal Kennedy (49); Mikey O’Shea (CJ Kickhams, Mullinahone) for Quirke (55); Donough Leahy (Arravale Rovers) for O’Shaughnessy; Dean Carew (Upperchurch/Drombane) for Moloney.
Down:
John O’Hare, Finn McElroy, Pierce Laverty, Anthony Doherty, Conor Francis (0-1), Gerard Collins, Patrick Branagan, Daniel Guinness (0-1), Pat Havern (0-6, 0-5F), Micheál Rooney, Ryan Johnston (0-1), Odhran Murdock (1-0), Andrew Gilmore (0-1F), Ruairí O’Hare, Ceilium Doherty.
Subs: Donagh McAleenan and Shealan Johnston (1-2, 0-1F) for Ruairi O’Hare and Andrew Gilmore (32 minutes); Danny McGill (0-3) for Guinness (38); Ross Carr (0-1) for McElroy (47); Eamon Brown (0-2F) for Havern.
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).