McCabe point saves blushes in Tipperary

29 January 2020

DOWN didn’t really enjoy the ‘Trip to Tipp’ on Sunday when they could only manage a draw in a disappointing start to their Division 3 campaign.

Paddy Tally’s side trailed 0-6 to 0-5 at the break, but a 45’ from goalkeeper Rory Burns brought the sides level just after the restart.

Tipperary were then reduced to 14 men when Jack Kennedy was yellow carded and as he had already been sin-binned in the first half , he was shown a red card.

Alas, Down were unable to take use of their numerical advantage and only managed another three points over the next 32 minutes to leave Clonmel Sportsfield with a share of the spoils.

Down opened in a hurry with Donal O’Hare converting an early free, but the reliable Conor Sweeney brought the sides level, also from a free. O’Hare, Barry O’Hagan and Cory Quinn helped Down seize control with points apiece, but Sweeney left two points in it when he scored from play in the 24th minute, 0-4 to 0-2.

Another O’Hare extended Down’s lead to three points in the 29th minute, but this was to be their last score of the half as Tipperary hit back.

Unanswered points from goalkeeper Evan Comerford, Liam Boland and Sweeney gave the hosts a deserved 0-6 to 0-5 led a the break.

Burns and Kennedy swapped scores at the start of the second half, but the Tipperary ace then saw red after receiving his second card of the game.

Tipp were now up against it, but Down were unable to shake them off.

Points from Owen McCabe and Pat Havern were cancelled out by similar scores from Sweeney (0-2) and Comerford as Tipp held a 0-10 to 0-8 lead with seven minutes remaining.

Down refused to relent and piled on the pressure as Tipp started to wilt. A Burns 45’ was added to by a great score from Carryduff’s Owen McCabe, but a winner could just not come.

Down huffed and puffed, but were unable to breach the Tipp defence again and in the final analysis, the home side were the happier, given they played for most of the second half with 14 men.

Tipperary: Evan Comerford (0-2, 2x45), Alan Campbell, John Meagher, Colm O’Shaughnessy, Emmet Moloney, Robbie Kiely, Dáire Brennan, Steven O’Brien (0-1), Conal Kennedy, Bill Maher, Jack Kennedy (0-1), Kevin Fahey (Liam Boland (0-1), Conor Sweeney (0-5, 0-3f, 0-1 mark), Brian Fox. Subs: Kevin O’Halloran for Fahey, Jason Lonergan for Boland Tommy Noland for Conal Kennedy, Colman Kennedy for Maher.

Down: Rory Burns (0-2, 2x45), Peter Fegan, Kevin McKernan, Ryan McAleenan, Gerard Collins, Darren O’Hagan, Shane Annett, Conor Maginn, Sean Dornan, Barry O’Hagan (0-1), Conor Poland, Daniel Guinness, Owen McCabe (0-2), Donal O’Hare (0-3f), Cory Quinn (0-1). Subs: Pat Havern (0-1) for Dornan, Liam Kerr for Maginn, Niall Donnelly for Poland, Ross McGarry for Guinness, Johnny Flynn for B O’Hagan.

Tipperary 0-10

Down 0-10

ALLIANZ NFL DIVISION 3

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