Allianz Football League Division 3 – Sligo 2-14 Tipperary 1-16

Sligo defeated Tipperary by 2-14 to 1-16 in Round 2 of the Allianz Football League Division 3 on Sunday February 12th at Semple Stadium Thurles.

Costly defeat for Tipperary

Report by Jackie Cahill for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Allianz FL Division 3

Sligo 2-14 Tipperary 1-16

A costly afternoon at Semple Stadium saw Tipperary lose Jimmy Feehan to a red card, Philip Austin to injury and two precious points in the race for promotion from Division 3.

Sligo were 10 points up during the second-half but had to hang on to win by the minimum against the 14 men in front of 749 spectators in Thurles.

Kyle Cawley and Niall Murphy scored crucial first- half goals for Sligo, who made it three points from a possible four following a draw with Armagh.

Austin was stretchered off after scoring a late point and colliding with Sligo goalkeeper Aidan Devaney but the Connacht outfit suffered a big injury blow of their own when Keelan Cawley went off before half- time, with a damaged shoulder

Earlier, in the 45th minute, Feehan mistimed a shoulder on goalscorer Murphy and referee Niall Ward reached for a second yellow card for the Killenaule man.

Despite trailing 0-10 to 2-14 with 15 minutes left, Tipp could have taken something from the game.

Michael Quinlivan sent a 76th-minute free wide before Robbie Kiely’s thunderous drive from distance was deflected out for a ’45 byr Neil Ewing.

In the eighth minute of stoppage time, O’Halloran drifted his ’45 over the crossbar and when play restarted, Ward blew for full-time.

At the break, Sligo were 2-9 to 0-8 clear – Cawley netting in the ninth minute before Murphy struck eight minutes before the break.

Tipp improved in the second half and after Austin missed a big goal chance, All-Star Michael Quinlivan finished well with seven minutes left to provide the hosts with a lift.

Tipperary manager Liam Kearns said: “We’re disappointed, it didn’t go for us today – we got caught with sucker goals and getting the man sent off was a real body blow.

“I think he (Feehan) tried to him a belt of a shoulder and mistimed it a bit. He had taken a couple of clatters prior to that – was he reacting to that?”

Satisfied Sligo manager Niall Carew reflected: “We rode our luck a bit – the extra man helped us but disappointed we didn’t go 12 or 13 points up. Bigger teams would do that, put you to the sword.”

Scorers for Sligo: Kyle Cawley 1-2, N Murphy 1-1, A Marren 0-4 (2f), M Breheny 0-3 (2f), G O’Kelly-Lynch 0-2, A Devaney (45) & C Davey 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: M Quinlivan 1-2 (0-2f), C Sweeney 0-5 (3f), K O’Halloran 0-4 (3f, 1 45), A Moloney 0-2, B Fox, P Austin & L Boland 0-1 each.

SLIGO: A Devaney; R Donavan, K McDonnell, N Gaughan; Keelan Cawley, N Ewing, G O’Kelly-Lynch; P O’Connor, A McIntyre; C Davey, M Breheny, J Kelly; Kyle Cawley, A Marren, N Murphy.
Subs: E McHugh for Keelan Cawley (inj., 32), S Gilmartin for O’Connor (60), S Coen for Murphy (62), J Hynes for Davey (70+4), E Connolly for Donavan (inj., 70+8).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; A Campbell, P Codd, W Connors; K Fahey, R Kiely, J Feehan; A Moloney, M Dunne; J Keane, L McGrath, B Fox; C Sweeney, M Quinlivan, P Austin.
Subs: K O’Halloran for McGrath (h.t.), E Moloney for Fahey (50), J Kennedy for Keane (58), L Casey for Dunne (58), L Boland for Austin (inj., 69)

Referee: N Ward (Westmeath)

the Tipperary Senior football team to play Sligo in Round 2 of the Allianz Football League Division 3 encounter in Semple Stadium on Sunday next, February 12th at 2pm has also been announced by manager Liam Kearns.

Following on in positive fashion, Kearns keeps faith in the same team that lined out the last day as Tipp bid for a second home win in as many games.

The team lines out as follows;

1. Evan Comerford – Kilsheelan-Kilcash
2. Alan Campbell – Moyle Rovers
3. Paddy Codd – Killenaule
4. Willie Connors – Kiladangan
5. Kevin Fahey – Clonmel Commercials
6. Robbie Kiely – Carbery Rangers
7. Jimmy Feehan – Killenaule
8. Alan Moloney – Rockwell Rovers
9. Martin Dunne – Moyle Rovers
10. Josh Keane – Golden-Kilfeacle
11. Liam McGrath – Loughmore-Castleiney
12. Brian Fox (Capt.) – Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill
13. Conor Sweeney – Ballyporeen
14. Michael Quinlivan – Clonmel Commercials
15. Philip Austin – Borrisokane

Sligo Team v Tipp Devaney Donavan McDonnell Gaughan K Cawley Ewing O'Kelly Lynch O'Connor McIntyre Davey Breheny Kelly Cawley Marren Murphy pic.twitter.com/wzeWBX2C7L

— Sligo GAA (@sligogaa) February 10, 2017