U21 Football
Peter McNulty Cup (Leinster League) Rd 3
Piltown, Saturday January 16th
Final Score – Wexford 1-14 Tipperary 0-8
Tipperary’s Under 21 Footballers travelled to Piltown on Saturday last for a third round tie in the Peter McNulty Cup (Leinster League) but after sixty minutes football had to settle for the runners up spot to a fairly polished Wexford outfit who emerged deserved nine points margin winners on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-8.
With Under 21 County Championship, McGrath Cup, the unavailability of a number other players plus injuries all impacting on the Tipperary starting fifteen, Tipp still produced good passages of football and indeed only for the alertness of the Wexford goalie and full back to deny Tipp two second half clear cut goal opportunities, the end result could have been a lot different.
The concession of too many frees in the Tipperary defence would prove costly over the hour as Wexford’s ace free taker Donal Shanley was faultless in his kicking landing seven points from dead balls plus two from play.
Paul Maher was first on target for Tipperary with their opening point but when Wexford’s Eoin Roche raced in for the only goal of the game to go four clear with ten minutes gone they never looked back. Two points by Shane O’Connell and a converted 45 by Gerry Cronin brought Tipps half time tally to 0-4 while Wexford finished the half with 1-7.
Ten minutes into the second half Wexford had stretched the lead to nine but Tipperary never gave up the fight and despite those missed goal chances hit back with points by Stephen Quirke, Joe Ryan (free) and a Gerry Cronin 45 to reduce the deficit.
Wexford continued to press forward going on to add three further points in the closing ten minutes while Stephen Quirke with the final score of the game pointed to complete Tipperary’s total of 0-8 to Wexford’s 1-14.
With Laois, Wexford and Tipperary all having finished the group stage with two wins each, scoring difference will determine Tipperary’s next outing whether it’s a Cup or Shield Semi Final which is down for decision this Saturday January 23rd. Opposition and other details unavailable at time of writing.
Tipperary: Charlie Manton; Ted Lowry, Ross Mulcahy, Tadgh Fitzgerald; Rian O’Callaghan, Ciaran Lowry, Shane O’Connell 0-2; Gerry Cronin 0-2 (45s), Luke Boland; Aidan Buckley, Paul Maher 0-1, Niall McKenna; Joe Ryan 0-1 free, Stephen Quirke 0-2, Brendan Martin.
Subs. Morgan Irwin (Moyle Rvs) for Ted Lowry, David Hayes (Fethard) for Brendan Martin, Liam Casey (Cahir) for Joe Ryan.
Gavin Whelan (Ardfinnan), Brian McKenna (Cahir), Peter Gavin (Holycross Ballycahill) and Darragh Brennan (Kilsheelan / Kilcash) completed the squad.
Report by Tommy Fitzgerald, on behalf of Tipp U21 Football
