Tipperary manager pleased with the character shown to get over the line against Wexford

Tipperary manager David Power, if not as buoyant as he had been a week previously after the win over Sligo in Thurles, was certainly delighted with the hard-earned result eked out by his side at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday afternoon. Tipperary emerged 4-4 to 0-5 winners at the end of a “strange” game of football in the Allianz National Football League Division 4 tie.

On a second visit to the Wexford venue in a fortnight, after the initial fixture was cancelled, Tipperary got over the line with a point to spare, having somehow survived on a lesser share of possession and scoring opportunities over the course of the game.

Speaking immediately after the game and recognising that confidence is slowly returning after a disappointing start to the league the Tipperary manager said:

“We were glad to get two points. It wasn’t pretty but we ground out a result. If we didn’t win last Saturday I don’t think we would have won today. Wexford Park is always a hard place to come so it’s great to get two points,” he said.

It was a strange sort of game, Wexford opening up with three unanswered points and then having a good goal chance blazed wide, before Tipperary banged in two goals in a three-minute spell to lead 2-0 to 0-3 inside 10 minutes.

The Tipperary manager commented: 

“It was a funny game, very hard to put your finger on it. There are games in the league where you are just happy to get two points and just get on with it. I don’t think the stats are going to be too kind but it will give us a great focus going into the Cavan game,” added Power, himself a former manager of the Wexford senior footballers.

Tipp made it harder on themselves than it needed to be and compared to the previous day there were a lot more kickouts, turnovers and frees conceded. Tipperary went to the break a point down but with Wexford having a player sent off just before the half-time whistle it gave them a chance to take advantage in the second half. Rather quickly, that leverage was surrendered, one way or another, with the second yellow card for Teddy Doyle and a black card for Mark Russell.

David Power was particularly disappointed with the loss of former Kerry player Teddy Doyle who besides scoring two first half goals was going very well for his newly-adopted county.

“Mark Russell fair enough, but I thought the second yellow for Teddy (was harsh), I thought he (referee) couldn’t even it up quick enough but we have to learn from those things. Teddy Doyle was a loss, he was playing well and he kept us in the game in the first half when he set up a goal and scored a goal (he scored two). That was disappointing,” added David Power.

But management is a results driven job and the Tipperary boss appreciated the value of what had been achieved even if the way it was accomplished wasn’t as convincing as he would have liked.

“To be fair it was a different type of game. We showed different character there today, it wasn’t pretty like last Saturday night but we are after getting a win today and that’s really important,” he added.

After the home loss to Leitrim three weeks ago which left Tipperary with only a single point from their opening two games, two successive wins have at least given them a fighting chance of promotion, and for now it is back in their own hands if they can get the results needed.

But going up to Ulster next Sunday to get that vital win is a mammoth undertaking. Apart from the obvious win today, the Tipperary manager is pleased also with the development that is going on. Loughmore/Castleiney player Tommy Maher came on as a second half sub against Wexford today, his first appearance for Tipperary - remarkably he was the 29th Tipperary player used by David Power in the four league games thus far.

“It’s a huge ask going going on that performance there today,” admitted David Power, “but if we can perform like we did last Saturday (against Sligo) then I would give us a chance. The big thing for me is we are after developing as a squad. Tommy Maher made his debut today,  Cathal Deely came on again, Eanna McBride, Martin Kehoe - I thought Martin Kehoe did when when he came on there. These are all new players. To win and get over the line bringing on these new players it’s great,” concluded David Power.