2025 Allianz Football League Division 4 – Wicklow 0-21 Tipperary 0-12

Wicklow defeated Tipperary by 0-21 to 0-12 in Round 7 of the Allianz Football League Division 4 on Sunday March 23rd at Clonmel Sportsfield.

14-man Wicklow see off Tipp but miss out on promotion https://t.co/yCKOoZPAQ5

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 23, 2025

14-man Wicklow see off Tipp but miss out on promotion

Report by Stephen Barry courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Allianz Football League Division 4 Tipperary 0-12 (0-3-6) Wicklow 0-21 (0-5-11)

Wicklow fell short of promotion despite an accomplished 14-man performance to defeat Tipperary by nine points at Clonmel Sportsfield.

Midfielder Jack Kirwan was sent off in the 12th minute but his central partner Dean Healy kicked a pair of two-pointers to settle them among five orange flags.

They made light work of the numerical disadvantage as Healy, Oisín McGraynor, and Kevin Quinn shared 18 points but Limerick’s victory over Waterford meant they were destined to finish third.

Tipp, having gone three unbeaten to begin, ended with four losses to finish fifth.

The hosts gave a guard of honour onto the field for Jimmy Feehan to mark his 100th appearance in blue and gold – or rather in their alternate navy kit. He was joined in the full-back line by debutant Jason Madigan in a late change to the named team. Feehan’s brother Paudie was removed in the early stages, though, after shipping a head knock.

Wicklow, wearing white, also made a switch to the announced team with Cathal Baker in for Mark Kenny.

The first half centred around the midfield contest. All but one of Tipp’s six points came from their middlemen, including two Mark Russell two-pointers.

After Kirwan’s sending-off, Healy put in a superb showing, scoring five and assisting four of Wicklow’s opening 10 points.

The Garden County began with Healy carrying forward from the throw-in to set up McGraynor for a two-pointer after 15 seconds. Healy’s first made it a three-point head start.

Tipp protested for a goal when a floated handpass from captain Mark Stokes was turned goalwards by Micheál Freaney. The umpires adjudged that Matt Nolan snatched it before crossing the line.

Russell’s pair of trademark towering two-pointers pushed Tipp ahead either side of Kirwan’s red, for a forceful high tackle on Mikey O’Shea.

For the remainder of a first half playing into the wind, Tipp conceded the kick-out with 12 players dropping inside their 45 and didn’t utilise their man advantage. They changed to press up at half-time.

Healy cannoned over a low-trajectory two-pointer before Kieran Costello levelled for the only time at 0-5 all.

Healy’s spin move created space for McGraynor’s lead point before the corner-forward tapped over a free. The all-action midfielder then arched over a sublime outside-of-the-boot two-pointer.

Cian Smith briefly brought it back to a one-score game.

Wicklow finished with three more. Healy slipped in McGraynor to blaze over, Quinn won and converted a free, and Eoin Darcy slotted a mark for a double-scores 0-12 to 0-6 lead.

It didn’t get any closer with the change of ends. Quinn resumed with a two-point free after Darcy was fouled.

After Smith’s response, John Paul Nolan had a shot taken off the line by Jimmy Feehan. Cheap turnovers were costing Tipp, though, as Nolan pointed before McGraynor and Quinn frees for a lead of 10.

Tipp’s subs brought about a rally as Darragh Brennan scored, Shane Ryan slotted a 45, and Michael Barlow was denied a scrappy goal by Cathal Fitzgerald.

Their progress was undone by Quinn’s second two-point free followed by Liam O’Neill and Quinn singles; the latter after Tipp failed to leave four defenders back.

Tipp kicked the final trio via a Smith free and a double from goalkeeper Ryan after a quick 45.

Malachy Stone’s super defensive work preserved Wicklow’s clean sheet with goalline blocks from debutant Darragh McVicker and Costello’s follow-up.

Scorers for Tipperary: M Russell (0-4, 2tp); S Ryan (1tp, 1 45), S Smith (1 free) (0-3 each); K Costello, D Brennan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Wicklow: K Quinn (0-7, 2tpf, 3 frees); O McGraynor (0-6, 1tp, 2 frees); D Healy (0-5, 2tp); JP Nolan, E Darcy (mark), L O’Neill (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: S Ryan; J Madigan, J Feehan, E Moloney; L Fahey, P Feehan, B O’Connor; K Costello, M Russell; B Comerford, M Stokes, M Freaney; C Smith, D Brennan, M O’Shea.
Subs: J O’Neill for P Feehan (11-f-t, temp), M Barlow for O’Neill (h-t), D McVicker for Brennan (55), R O’Dowd for O’Shea (55), M Lyons for O’Connor (62), T Vaughan for Stokes (70+2).

WICKLOW: C Fitzgerald; T Moran, C Maguire, M Stone; M Nolan, P O’Keane, J Prendergast; D Healy, J Kirwan; C Baker, P O’Toole, JP Nolan; K Quinn, O McGraynor, E Darcy.
Subs: D Fee for Baker (55), L O’Neill for JP Nolan (59), M Kenny for Darcy (59), J McCall for M Nolan (65), G Fogarty for O’Toole (67).

Red card: J Kirwan (12).

Referee: E Morrissey (Waterford).