Allianz Football League Division 3 – Kildare 2-13 Tipperary 1-5

Kildare defeated Tipperary by 2-13 to 1-5 in the Allianz Football League Division 3 on Saturday March 26th at Clonmel Sportsfield.

Kelly lands killer blow as Kildare topple Tipp

Kildare 2-13 Tipperary 1-5

Report by Jackie Cahill for the Irish Independent newspaper

Cian O’Neill’s Kildare moved within touching distance of promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz Football League with a comfortable 11-point victory over Tipperary in Clonmel on Saturday.

The Lilywhites led by nine points at the break and despite a brief second-half rally from the hosts, Kildare were able to keep their opponents at arm’s length as weather conditions deteriorated.

Kildare’s win should be enough ahead of next weekend’s clash with Clare but results elsewhere later today could leave Kildare with some work to do, even though it would take a pretty serious turn of events for them not to make the leap back to Division 2. Kildare were 1-7 to 0-1 clear at half-time, their goal coming from a fortuitous Niall Kelly effort in the 17th minute.

Kelly arrowed in a low, diagonal ball from the right touchline, aimed for the Kildare inside men, and it went all the way into the net, deceiving Tipperary goalkeeper Evan Comerford. In fact, it was Tipp who had the better goal chances in the opening half, as Philip Austin screwed a shot wide in the very first minute before full-back Alan Campbell, marauding forward to take a pass from Austin, saw his close-range effort saved by Mark Donnellan seven minutes before the break.

It was a luckless first half for Tipp as corner-forward Conor Sweeney endured a nightmare time on frees and the hosts finished with just a single point before the break – Kevin Fahey coming forward from defence to register a 26th-minute score.

The problem for Tipp was that Kildare were 1-6 to 0-0 ahead before Fahey pointed and the game was effectively done and dusted in front of a bumper crowd in Tipperary Town. Adam Tyrell was impressive in the half-forward line for Kildare and after kicking the opening score of the game, from a free, he added two points from play before the interval.

But it was Kelly’s goal that was the killer blow for Tipperary as Kildare, playing with a breeze at their backs in the opening half, established a matchwinning lead. They would hold on for another win and while Tipp did show some fight after half-time, Daniel Flynn netted a second goal for Kildare with 18 minutes left.

Tipperary responded within a minute with a goal from Fahey, set up by captain Peter Acheson, but the result was beyond any doubt by then but Kildare lost Flynn to a hamstring injury before the finish. Tipp now face a huge battle to gain promotion with a cluster of teams on six points each with a game more played.

Scorers –
Kildare: D Flynn 1-2, N Kelly 1-0, A Tyrell (1f) & E O’Flaherty (1f, 1 45) 0-3 each, T Moolick & P Cribbin 0-2 each, E Callaghan 0-1
Tipperary: K Fahey 1-1, A Moloney 0-2 (1f), M Quinlivan & P Austin 0-1 each.

Tipperary: E Comerford; C O’Shaughnessy, A Campbell, C McDonald; J Feehan, R Kiely, K Fahey; A Moloney, M Dunne; J Keane, P Acheson, J Lonergan; C Sweeney, M Quinlivan, P Austin
Subs: B Hewitt for Sweeney (h-t), G Hannigan for Dunne (54), I Fahey for Moloney (58), S Leahy for Campbell (67).

Kildare: M Donnellan; P Kelly, C Fitzpatrick, O Lyons; D Hyland, F Conway, C O’Donoghue; K Feely, T Moolick; A Tyrell, N Kelly, E O’Flaherty; D Flynn, P Cribbin, E Callaghan
Subs: J Byrne for O’Donoghue (h-t), P O’Neill for Flynn (58), A Smith for Tyrell (64), K Murnaghan for Conway (67), R Kelly for Cribbin (70+1).

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan)

Previews – Allianz FL D3, Tipperary v Kildare, Sligo v Limerick, Clare v Longford, Westmeath v Offaly: https://t.co/JoICtelWrS #GAA

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 24, 2016

Team News

Tipperary SF team to play Kildare today announced https://t.co/RkTITOka9h

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) March 26, 2016

The Tipperary Senior Footballers take on Kildare in a must win encounter in Clonmel on Saturday, April 26th at 2pm. Manager Liam Kearns has announced his side for this most important clash and we hope to see a large crowd in Clonmel Sportsfield giving the home side all the encouragement they need to help them secure victory,

The team lines out as follows –

1. Evan Comerford – Kilsheelan-Kilcash
2. Colm O’Shaughnessy – Ardfinnan
3. Alan Campbell – Moyle Rovers
4. Ciarán Mc Donald – Aherlow
5. Jimmy Feehan – Killenaule
6. Robbie Kiely – Carbery Rangers
7. Shane Leahy – Arravale Rovers
8. Alan Moloney – Rockwell Rovers
9. Martin Dunne – Moyle Rovers
10. Josh Keane – Golden-Kilfeacle
11. Peter Acheson (Capt.) – Moyle Rovers
12. Jason Lonergan – Clonmel Commercials
13. Conor Sweeney – Ballyporeen
14. Michael Quinlivan – Clonmel Commercials
15. Philip Austin – Borrisokane
Subs:
16. Ciarán Kendrick – Moyle Rovers
17. Kevin Fahey – Clonmel Commercials
18. Ian Fahey – Clonmel Commercials
19. Billy Hewitt – Ardfinnan
20. George Hannigan – Shannon Rovers
21. Donagh Leahy – Arravale Rovers
22. David Butler – Drom & Inch
23. Liam Casey – Cahir
24. John O’Callaghan – Ballyporeen
25. Donal Lynch – Clonmel Commercials
26. Kevin O’Halloran – Portroe

The Kildare team to play Tipperary in round 6 of the Allianz League this Saturday 26th March! pic.twitter.com/Z6GF0HiZHS

— Kildare GAA (@KildareGAA) March 24, 2016