Tipperary's promotion hopes suffer a setback following defeat by Carlow

Carlow 1-17 Tipperary 1-14

An avoidable three-points loss to Carlow in FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday in round three of the Allianz National Football League has dented Tipperary’s hopes of promotion from Division Four, but they still have it within their own hands to come through the group.

This defeat was avoidable. Tipperary had a Sean O’Connor penalty turned over the bar in the 63rd minute when trailing by three points, and with the deficit down to a point shortly afterwards, they hit three wides as they sought to draw level, after losing a four-points interval lead in a barren 20-minute start to the second half.

In such a competitive division such lapses get punished, as duly happened to the Premier County boys. The end result is that they have no further room for error, with three points from three games.

Longford are next up in Longford this coming Sunday, followed by a home game against Leitrim a week later, then a visit to Wicklow, with the schedule ending with a home game against Waterford on March 22.

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The galling thing for the Tipp management and players is, that despite a below par performance, they know they should have got something from this tie. They were in control early on, building up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead, but coughed up possession in the 19th minute to give Paddy McDonnell the chance to rifle home a Carlow goal.

They re-established control, helped by a classy goal from Steven O’Brien in the 27th minute when he fielded a high ball, turned on landing and blazed home for a 1-8 to 1-3 lead. They were 1-11 to 1-5 ahead approaching the break but Carlow hit them for a Conor Crowley point and then a quality strike from Christopher Blake for a two-pointer to leave the Leinster team just four points adrift at the interval, 1-11 to 1-7.

Tipp deserved better, though they were still in a good position, but the first 20 minutes of the second half proved their undoing.

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Carlow, now aided by the breeze, took complete control, drawing level by the 49th minute, 1-11 each and pushing ahead 1-13 to 1-11 by the 53rd minute. Tipp had yet to raise a flag in the half. Sean O’Connor had Tipp’s first point since resuming in the 54th minute, and though Blake responded for Carlow with a two-pointer shortly afterwards, Tipp got a great chance to draw level when Paudie Feehan was dragged down and a penalty was awarded.

Sean O’Connor hit his effort with great power but Carlow goalie Ben McCarron got his fingers to it to turn it over the bar. Momentum was with the home side, as Killian Butler followed up with a point, but Tipp spurned three chances of a levelling point in quick succession and then another before Colm Hulton, in a break, had a Carlow point, followed by another in injury time from Blake’s free to secure the win that keeps them at the top of the table, unbeaten after three games.

All is not lost for Tipperary, however. Results to date in the division indicate that any of the teams can take points from the other but this defeat increases the pressure on Tipperary for difficult closing games. Tipp have three points with four games to go. A minimum ten-point tally is imperative to be in the hunt for a top two spot. It is not beyond their reach but it is extremely challenging.

Manager Niall Fitzgerald of Moyle Rovers is developing a young side and has repeatedly said there would be “ups and downs”. This was one of the “downs”, to a degree explained by the involvement of a number of players in colleges action in the days leading up to it, but the challenge now is to bounce back against Longford.

Team captain Paudie Feehan led by example all through, his willingness to get forward from defence to attack driving on his colleagues. Shane Garland had an excellent game in goal while Kieran Costello, Steven O’Brien, Daithí Hogan, Mark Stokes, Sean O’Connor and Emmet Moloney, when introduced, made significant contributions.

Colm Hulton had a starring role for Carlow with five points from play. He was ably supported by Dara Curran, Mark Furey, Conor Crowley and Christopher Blake, as favourites Carlow continue their unbeaten drive to climb the ranks in the league.

Tipperary scorers: S O’ Brien (1-2, 2ptf), C Smith (0-5, 3fs, 12ptf), S O’ Connor (0-3, 2fs), M Stokes (0-2, 2ptr), D Hogan, C Butler (0-1 each).

Carlow scorers: C Blake (0-7, 1f, 2 2ptfs), C Hulton (0-5), P McDonnell (1-1), C Crowley (0-3), J Murphy (0-1).

Tipperary: Shane Garland; Jack Harney, James Morris, Mark Corcoran; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Liam Boland; Joe Higgins, Kieran Costello; Charlie King, Steven O’Brien, Micheal Freaney; Cian Smith, Sean O’Connor, Daithí Hogan.
Subs: JP Bokha Tansia for Freaney (h/t), Emmet Moloney for Boland (48 mins), Killian Butler for King (50 mins), Darragh Brennan for O’ Brien (58 mins), Mark Russell for Mbokha-Tansia (60 mins).

Carlow: Ben McCarron; Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Lee Moore; Niall Roche, Mark Furey, Padraig Bolger; Eoghan Ruth, Conor Doyle; Paddy McDonnell, Colm Hulton, Mikey Bambrick; Conor Crowley, Christopher Blake, Ross Dunphy.
Subs: John Murphy for Bolger (h/t), Tadhg Roche for Bambrick (48 mins), Sean Murphy for Dunphy (51 mins), Adam Burgess for Ruth (66 mins).

Referee: James Regan, Cork.