Tipp's Coghlan targets elusive league win

Tipperary's Hugh Coghlan says that it is imperative for his side to claim a result against Wexford this Sunday if they are to salvage something from their Allianz Football League Division 3 campaign.

The Premier County are firmly on the back foot coming into this weekend's game after suffering losses by just a goal in both their opening fixtures against Roscommon and Antrim.

With three weeks to reflect since the Antrim defeat at Semple Stadium, the Laois-based Garda says it is important to look forward rather than look back.

"We had a 100 percent start, but unfortunately it was the wrong one with two losses from two games," he said.

"There is still enough time to turn it around. We have had two good weeks off where we have put in a lot of work and a lot of training and a lot of reflection over the first few games and hopefully we can go into the remaining campaign with a good freshness and ambition.

"Certainly Sunday is another big game, but you can't get too bogged down in it either.

"You can't let it become a massive issue for you or else it will affect your performance and the team performance.

"Wexford are going to be going into the game with a different outlook. They have had a great start to their campaign and they are looking for promotion.

"Our direction is a little unknown at the moment so there are two teams eagerly going out to win it."

While both of Tipp's losses came by the same margin, Coghlan says the defeat on home soil to Antrim was hardest to take.

"With the Antrim game the fact that it was on our home turf is hurtful too, but both games were the exact same. We lost both games by a goal," explained the Moyne-Templetuohy native.

"When you are coming out of games feeling that you could have certainly won it, it makes it that extra bit tougher to take it.

"You can't continue to look at the past and whinge - you just have to make amendments and drive on for the future and learn from those games.

"Hopefully we will get a few good results now in the next four or five games.

"In Division 3 it's an awful competitive league and there are a lot of lads fighting for places, they are very competitive counties at the same token and there is not a lot between us if the truth be told."

Coghlan has recently thrown his weight behind the GPA partnership with mental health organisation Headstrong as an ambassador.

He says that it is massively important to be involved with such a project.

"It's huge, it's a very prevalent and serious issue in our society today and it's something that I am connected with in my work and if I can learn something from it and if there is something I can support and help with it will be great."