Leinster Minor Football League, Rd 2
Saturday February 20th, Darver Co. Louth
Louth 2-11 Tipperary 2-5
By Tommy Fitzgerald on behalf of Tipp Minor Football
On Saturday last Tipperary Minor Footballers travelled up to Darver in Co. Louth for a second round game in the Leinster League and despite a much better performance to the opening round against Laois, they again had to settle for the runners up spot as Louth emerged winners by a six point margin on a score line of, 2-11 to 2-5.
Showing nine changes to the starting team from last week including four players making their competition debut for Tipperary including, Paudie Feehan, Jake Flannery, Conal Kennedy and Andrew Vance, they certainly came well prepared to turn things around and had a real crack at it only to be denied by two late Louth goals in the closing ten minutes of the game.
Playing with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half Louth went on leave their mark and making good use of possession landed eight points while substitute Conor Murphy having being fouled himself scored the resultant penalty and Tipperary’s only score in the first period to leave Tipp five in arrears at the break, 0-8 to 1-0.
While the loss TJ Butler and Shane Ryan both first half injury casualties along with Emly’s Andrew Vance through illness may have undone Tipperary’s original plans, it didn’t let it effect them as with the breeze now in Tipperary’s favour they upped the ante in the second half reeling off 1-5 for a well deserved two point lead at 2-5 to 0-9 with ten minutes remaining with Eoin Ryan 1-0, Paudie Feehan 0-2 and a point each by Michael Purcell, Josh Macken and Matthew Kelly all on target for Tipperary.
However the closing ten minutes would prove crucial and having weathered the Tipp storm and soaked up an amount of pressure Louth to their credit battled back hitting Tipp with 2-2 to snatch victory.
Overall a marked improvement on the opening round and plenty food for thought for the Tipp selectors for their next outing against Wicklow in Rd 3, which is down for decision this weekend, February 27th / 28th, at a Wicklow venue. (Details unconfirmed at time of writing)
Final score – Louth 2-11 Tipperary 2-5
Tipperary: David Croke (Holycross Ballycahill); Oscar O’Dwyer (Arravale Rovers), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule) 0-2, Dean Carew (Upperchurch Drombane); Jake Flannery (Galtee Rovers), Conor Cashman (Cahir), Josh Macken (Ballyporeen) 0-1; TJ Butler (Upperchurch Drombane), Jack Hackett (Moycarkey Borris); Stephen Quinlan (JK Brackens), Michael Purcell (Durlas Og) 0-1, Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials); Shane Ryan (Galtee Rovers), Andrew Vance (Emly), Eoin Ryan (Cappawhite) 1-0.
Subs (all used) – Jack Dolan (Fethard), Alex Murphy (Holycross Ballycahill), Mark Purcell (Durlas Og), Conor Murphy (Durlas Og) 1-0 pen, Matthew Kelly (Durlas Og) 0-1, Adam Peters (Clonmel Commercials), Cormac Maher (Arravale Rovers)
