Leinster Minor Football League, Round 3
Sunday February 28th, Donard, Co. Wicklow
Final Score, Wicklow 1-16 Tipperary 1-9
Tipperary’s Minor footballs wrapped up their Leinster League commitments on Sunday last at the Donard / Glen GAA grounds in Donard Co. Wicklow and similar to the previous two rounds again had to settle for the runners up spot as Wicklow advanced to the semi finals on the back of a seven point winning margin.
Showing six changes from last weeks starting fifteen with numerous players unavailable through school, dual player issues and Club Under 21 Football championship fixtures within the county, Tipperary still had a formidable squad on duty producing a good solid performance over the hour against a Wicklow side whose sharpness in kicking points would prove decisive.
Matching Wicklow in most areas and well up for the task in hand, Tipperary went on to produce good passages of football in the opening half to go in a point down at the break, 0-8 to 1-4, helped on by a Conor Murphy goal.
Having landed eight points in the opening half Wicklow always holding the edge maintained their shooting accuracy and momentum in the second period going on to register a goal and a further eight points while Tipperary brought their scoring to a close adding an extra five points to their first half tally.
Tipperary’s scorers on the day included, Conor Murphy 1-2, Jack Delahunty, Shane Ryan and Paudie Feehan 0-2 each and Eoghan Ryan 0-1.
While a win evaded Tipperary over the three League games, the Tipperary management of Mick O’Sullivan, Johnny Nevin, Mattie Doherty, Jason Coffey and Eddie Costelloe will take a number of positives away with the focus now switching to Wednesday April 13th and a Munster Quarter Final clash with Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn.
Final score, Wicklow 1-16 Tipperary 1-9
Tipperary, David Croke (Holycross / Ballycahill); Alex Murphy (Holycross-Ballycahill), Robbie Condon (Ardfinnan), Dean Carew (Upperchurch / Drombane); Colin O’Shea (Grangemockler), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule) 0-2, Jake Flannery (Galtee Rvs); Conor Cashman (Cahir), Jack Hackett (Moycarkey Borris); Michael Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields), Jack Delahunty (Newport) 0-2, Eoghan Ryan (Cappawhite) 0-1; Shane Ryan (Galtee Rovers) 0-2, Johnny Lyons (Grangemockler), Conor Murphy (Thurles Sarsfields) 1-2
Subs (all used) – Stephen Quinlan (JK Brackens), Patrick Fahy (Cashel King Cormacs), Cormac Maher (Arravale Rovers), Matthew Kelly (Thurles Sarsfields)
P.S. Following Sundays away draw to Westmeath in Mullingar well done to the Tipperary Senior Footballers who are unbeaten after three rounds of the National Football League and remain on course for promotion to Division 2.
By Tommy Fitzgerald, on behalf of Tipperary Minor Football
