Allianz Football League Division 4 – Leitrim 2-16 Tipperary 2-8

Leitrim defeated Tipperary by 2-16 to 2-8 in Round 2 of the Allianz Football League Division 4 on Sunday February 6th at FBD Semple Stadium Thurles.

Huge blow to Tipp’s promotion prospects as they fall to Keith Beirne-inspired Leitrim

Report by Michael Dundon for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Leitrim 2-16 Tipperary 2-8

New manager, former Mayo star Andy Moran, had his first taste of success at the helm in Leitrim when his charges romped home the easiest of winners over a non-performing Tipperary in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday.

After dropping points in the first round, both sides needed a win to keep themselves in the promotion frame and it was the Leitrim boys who showed the greater urgency and efficiency from the very start.

A pedestrian opening 25 minutes saw the teams level at 0-5 each but Leitrim finished the half with a flourish, Keith Beirne pointing twice and Mark Plunkett adding another to give them a 0-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.

The early stages of the second half saw Leitrim in complete control. They had a goal from James Rooney after five minutes and followed it with points from Beirne, Tom Prior, Ryan and Riordan O Rourke to surge 1-13 to 0-6 clear after 52 minutes.

Struggling in all departments, Tipperary got a lifeline when Conor Sweeney squeezed home a goal after 57 minutes and he added a second with a touch to a Sean O Connell delivery five minutes later to cut the deficit to five points (2-6 to 1-14).

The stage looked set for an intense finish but two minutes later Leitrim’s Tom Prior rounded off an excellent Leitrim surge with their second goal which effectively secured the first brace of league points for Leitrim.

Having lost to Cavan a week earlier this was a big improvement by Leitrim which will boost their hopes of promotion. Keith Beirne was their top performer but Donal Wrynn, Pearce Dolan, Riordan O Rourke, Mark Plunkett and Donal Casey also had key games.

Tipp manager David Power is in a team-building phase with many newcomers to the senior set-up and even at this early stage prospects of getting out of the bottom division look slim despite the best efforts of Conor Sweeney, Kevin Fahey, Bill Maher, and Willie Eviston.

Scorers for Leitrim: K Beirne (0-8,5fs); T Prior (1-2), J Rooney(1-0), Riordan O’Rourke (0-3), P Dolan, M Plunkett, Ryan O’Rourke (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: C Sweeney (2-6, 0-6fs), E Comerford (f), S O Connor (0-1 each).

LEITRIM: B Flynn; P Maguire, M Diffley, D Bruen; J Rooney, D Casey, J Heslin; D Wrynn, P Dolan; M Plunkett, K Beirne, D Rooney; Ryan O Rourke, D McGovern, Riordan O Rourke.
Subs: T Prior for Heslin (33mins); D Flynn for McGovern (47mins); P Keaney for Plunkett (69mins).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; Shane O Connell, W Eviston, D Carew; B Maher, C O’Shaughnessy, L Boland; Conal Kennedy, S Quirke; J Lonergan, K Fahey, S Foley; E McBride, C Sweeney, S O Connor.
Subs: Sean O’Connell for O Shaughnessy (10 mins), M O’Shea for Foley (h/t); T Doyle for Lonergan (46mins), P Feehan for Boland (55mins); R Kiely for Kennedy (58mins).

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).