Disappointment as Longford win by five

02 Mar 2020

There was palpable disappointment today in Pearse Park as Longford ran out deserved five-point winners, a result that sees Tipperary looking over their shoulders as the threat of relegation begins to loom

 

 

Following on from the confident showing against Cork last Saturday night Tipperary entered today’s game in confident form but against a dogged and determined home side they just could not get into their stride in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Allianz National Football League Division Three

Longford 3-12 Tipperary 3-7

Tipperary captain Conor Sweeney won the pre-match toss and elected to play with a strong breeze in the first half but it was Longford who exploded from the blocks scoring an early goal through Liam Connerton and while Sweeney himself fisted home a goal following a great Steven O’Brien pass, Longford took the game to the Premier and were rewarded with a second three-pointer through Dessie Reynolds and they entered the break with a well-deserved one-point lead.

Substitute Liam Boland was sin binned not long after the resumption and while he was out of action Longford scored 0-3 and added a third goal moments after he resumed play when a Tipperary attack broke down and the home side quickly moved possession up the field for Oran Kenny to add their third goal of the game.

Conor Sweeney kept hopes alive with a penalty goal after Steven O’Brien was hauled down and Tipperary pressed hard to get back into the game. A Kevin O’Halloran goal gave the Premier hope and moments later Liam Boland kicked a lovely point to reduce the deficit to three however a late Longford surge saw them grab two points from Darren Gallagher and Oran Kenny to seal the win.

Tipperary face Offaly next in Semple Stadium in two-weeks time.

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (0-1); Patrick Fox, Andrew Farrell, Barry O’Farrell, Donal McElligott (0-1), Gary Rogers (0-1), Gerard Flynn, Darren Gallagher (0-4), Kevin Diffley, Michael Quinn, Daniel Mimnagh, Dessie Reynolds (1-0), Rian Brady (0-3), Liam Connerton (1-0), Oran Kenny (1-2).

Subs:- Darragh Doherty for G Flynn, Joseph Hagan for R Brady.

TIPPERARY: Evan Comerford, Alan Campbell, John Meagher, Tadhg Fitzgerald, Padraic Looram (0-1), Robbie Kiely, Bill Maher, Steven O’Brien, Conal Kennedy, Emmet Moloney, Jack Kennedy, Brian Fox, Conor Sweeney (2-4), Sean O’Connor (0-1), Rian Quigley.

Subs:- Liam Boland (0-1) for C Kennedy, Philip Austin for P Looram, Kevin O’Halloran (1-0) for S O’Connor, Jack Harney for B Maher, Alan Moloney for R Quigley.

Referee: Niall McKenna (Monaghan).

Alan Campbell advances with possession