2024 Tailteann Cup Football – Antrim 4-12 Tipperary 2-13

Antrim defeated Tipperary by 4-12 to 2-13 in Round 1 of the Tailteann Cup Football on Sunday May 12th at Corrigan Park Belfast.

REPORT: @AontroimGAA defeated @TipperaryGAA in the Tailteann Cup at Corrigan Park #GAA

— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 12, 2024

Tailteann Cup: Impressive Antrim triumph

Antrim 4-12 Tipperary 2-13

Report By Shane Brophy at Corrigan Park for GAA.ie

Antrim’s ability to take their goal chances proved to be the difference as the Saffron’s saw off Tipperary in an entertaining Tailteann Cup Group Two opener at Corrigan Park.

Both sides made use of the fine conditions with an open and fast paced game with the visitors starting the brighter with frees from Conor Sweeney and Sean O’Connor.

When Antrim settled, their pace and numbers they put into attacks caused problems with Patrick McAleer to the fore before they scored their first goal on 11 minutes, a blistering counter-attack following Conor Sweeney’s goal chance coming off the post and 20 seconds later, Kavan Keenan was finishing a looping pass to the net.

Antrim added a second goal two minutes later through full back Walsh, fortunate in that his initial shot was saved by Evan Comerford, but cannoned off the full-back into the net. It helped Antrim into a 2-6 to 0-4 lead on 25 minutes but Tipp finished the half well, with the help of a Paudie Feehan goal to trail 2-6 to 1-7 at the break.

Tipp would have been hoping for a good start to the second half but the concession of a 37th minute goal to Ruairi McCann put them back as they fell seven behind before Conor Sweeney converted a 48th minute penalty, a part of 1-7 from the former All-Star, including five points from play in his first start after 16 months out through injury.

However, Antrim cancelled the goal almost immediately with McCann benefitting from a Jimmy Feehan slip for his second, but Tipp didn’t let the heads drop and points from Sweeney, Jack Kennedy and Daire Brennan brought them within three on 63 minutes. Tipp didn’t score again as two late points from sub Dominic McEnhill ensured Antrim made home advantage count.

Scorers for Antrim: Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire) 2-0, Ryan McQuillan 0-3, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan 1-0 each, Patrick McAleer, Patrick McBride, Dominic McEnhill (1f) 0-2 each, Ruairi McCann (Creggan) 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 1-7 (1-0 pen, 2fs); Paudie Feehan 1-0, Jack Kennedy, Peter McGarry, Sean O’Connor (f), Teddy Doyle, Evan Comerford (45), and Darragh Brennan 0-1 each.

Antrim: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Conor Hand; Patrick McBride, Ruairi McCann (Creggan Kickhams); Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire), Marc Jordan.
Subs: Colm McLarnon for McAleer (29); Dominic McEnhill for McCann (Naomh Mhuire 59); Adam Loughran for Jordan (65); James McDonnell for Keenan (68); Cormac McGettigan for McQuillan (70+5).

Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Tadhg Condon, Jimmy Feehan, Mark Stokes; Stephen Grogan, Paudie Feehan, Conor Cadell; James Morris, Steven O’Brien; Peter McGarry, Conall Kennedy, Teddy Doyle; Conor Sweeney, Sean O’Connor, Jack Kennedy (Commercials).
Subs: Emmet Moloney for Cadell (26 inj); Mark Russell for Doyle (47); Luke Boland for O’Brien (47); Shane O’Connell for Condon (53); Kieran Costello for Morris (64).

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)

Team News

The Tipperary Senior Footballers will play their first game in the 2024 Tailteann this Sunday afternoon @ 2.30pm in Corrigan Park, Belfast, when they face Antrim. pic.twitter.com/wGRcMzXwnZ

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) May 9, 2024

Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Tadhg Condon, Jimmy Feehan, James Morris; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Kieran Costello; Stephen Grogan, Conall Kennedy; Conor Cadell, Jack Kennedy, Peter McGarry; Jack Kennedy, Riain Quigley, Darragh Brennan.
Subs: Jack Rogers, Luke Boland, Teddy Doyle, Emmet Moloney, Manus McFadden, Steven O’Brien, Shane O’Connell, Seán O’Connor, Eoghan Power, Mark Russell, Conor Sweeney.

Antrim: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Conor Hand, Patrick McBride, Ruairi McCann; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Marc Jordan.
Subs: Luke Mulholland, Adam Loughran, Colm McLarnon, Cormac McGettigan, Daniel McNicholl, Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Hynds, Eunan Quinn, James McDonnell, Oran Downey, Pat Shivers.