2022 Allianz Football League Division 4 – Tipperary 1-14 London 0-12

Tipperary defeated London by 1-14 to 0-12 in Round 7, Division 4 of the Allianz Football League on Saturday 26th of March at FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Tipperary saw off London to clinch an immediate return to Division 3. #RTEGAAhttps://t.co/oNMzmOW7Yg

— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) March 26, 2022

Tipperary seal promotion with win over London in Allianz Football League

Report by Michael Dundon for RTE.ie

A fifth win on the bounce secured promotion for Tipperary as they saw off the stubborn challenge of London in their key Division 4 contest in Thurles.

A disastrous start to the campaign saw Tipp drop three points in their opening two games but David Power’s charges played their way back into the promotion race, and they were rewarded with a deserved but hard-earned victory which carries with it the bonus of a final clash with table-toppers Cavan at Croke Park next weekend.

Tipperary started strongly and buoyed by a Mark Russell goal after 21 minutes went 1-06 to 0-01 clear. Kevin Fahey added a Tipp point before London found their feet.

With Matt Moynihan, Liam Gavaghan and James Hynes showing the way, four points without reply had London breathing down Tipp’s neck but a Sean O’Connor injury-time point from a free gave Tipp an interval lead of 1-08 to 0-06.

London kept up the chase in the second half and might have had a goal but Stephen Dornan blazed over the bar in the 43rd minute with a gilt-edged chance.

Tipperary were doing enough to protect their interval lead but again London were denied a goal when Tipp goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly’s outstretched leg turned a Liam Gavaghan effort out for a ’45 after 50 minutes.

London needed a goal and threw everything into attack but Tipp coped well with the pressure, never letting their five-point interval lead slip to clinch an immediate return to Division 3.

Despite the unavailability of a number of key players, manager Power and his squad achieved their objective in securing promotion and can look forward with confidence to the forthcoming championship.

Conal Kennedy and Jack Kennedy were outstanding in this contest but Kevin Fahey, Mikey O’Shea, Robbie Kiely and goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly also contributed handsomely to the success.

After a slow start London were always chasing the game and had they made better use of their chances they might well have caused an upset.

Matt Moynihan, Stephen Dornan, Liam Gavaghan, James Hynes and Cathal Long never gave up the chase in a performance that will give them great encouragement as they prepare to play in the Connacht Championship next month.

Tipperary: M O’Reilly; S O’Connell, J Feehan, J Harney; K Fahey (0-02), C O’Shaughnessy, R Kiely; C Kennedy (0-01), M Russell (1-01); M Kehoe, J Kennedy (0-01f), T Doyle; M O’Shea (0-02), C Sweeney (0-02,2f), S O’Connor (0-04, 3f).
Subs: C Deeley for Doyle (51), J Lonergan for Kehoe (57), S Quirke (0-01) for Russell (59), W Eviston for O’Shea (71), L Boland for O’Connor (70).

London: N Maher; E Wynne, C Long, J Hynes (0-02); R O Sloan, M Moynihan, C Healy; S Dornan (0-01), L Gallagher; C Gallagher (0-01), L Gavaghan (0-05, 3f), E Walsh; C Farley (0-01f), S Hickey (0-01), H Walsh.
Subs: F McMahon (0-01) for Healy (43), J Gallagher for Hickey (48), T Lenihan for H Walsh (51), C McGonigal for Wynne (60), E Curran for Farley (62).

Referee: P Maguire (Longford).