Gearóid O’Connor salvo wins it as Tipperary defy Galway rally
Tipperary’s Gearoid O’Connor celebrates scoring a penalty in added time
Gearóid O’Connor produced 1-2 in the last five minutes of action to seal a commendable win for Tipperary over Galway in FBD Semple Stadium this evening.
The Moyne-Templetuohy man, currently starring for UL in the Fitzgibbon Cup, posted 1-13 in total as Tipperary recovered from a Galway fightback midway through the second half.
Tipperary, who never went behind, could have been out of sight inside the first 10 minutes of the second half. Three points in a row from replacement Mark Kehoe followed by a O’Connor brace from play saw Tipperary shoot ahead by eight points inside the first eight minutes of the second half.
Kehoe’s runs from the half-forward line were hurting Galway and only for Pádraic Mannion he might have capped Tipperary’s purple patch with a goal in the 44th minute.
Galway made a lot the let-off, scoring the next seven points, although they could have made even more had Evan Niland been accurate from play. In defence, Cianan Fahy’s energy was infectious and Conor Cooney’s clever play was delivering upfront.
A 17-minute break without a Tipperary score ended when converted defender Conor Bowe converted from distance. However, Galway provided the next couple of points, Cooney adding his fifth and Seán Linnane his first to level it.
O’Connor and Niland exchanged frees prior to three on the trot from Tipperary, O’Connor sending over two of them. A ninth Niland free sliced the difference to two but O’Connor was on hand to fire home a penalty after Seán Linnane was black carded for bringing down Conor Stakelum.
Tipperary led by six points on a couple of occasions in the first half when their half-back line were lording it. Losing Bryan O’Mara to an injury midway through the half did have an impact and Galway were the stronger team in the second quarter but Tipperary were better than their half-time lead of 16 points to 13.
Conor Whelan eventually warmed himself into the game but even his presence in the Galway half-forward line didn’t have the desired effect. They were being outmuscled far too often, unusual for a Galway team but then the starting line-up was lacking some of its usual heft.
It wasn’t until the 21st minute that Galway earned a free, which Niland converted. He arrowed over another three before the break as Galway began to win primary ball in the middle third, the last of them bringing the visitors to within three points by the 33rd minute.
Conor Cooney cut the margin to two seconds later, the fourth consecutive Galway score, before Craig Morgan ended a nine-minute spell without a point for Tipperary.
Whelan angled over his second point to make it a two-point game once more but a sixth O’Connor free restored Tipperary’s goal lead on the turnaround.
G. O’Connor (1-13, 1-0 pen, 8 frees, 1 65); M. Kehoe (0-3); W. Connors, C. Bowe (0-2 each); J. McGrath, A. Tynan, J. Morris, S. Kenneally, C. Morgan, S. Kennedy (0-1 each).
E. Niland (0-10, 9 frees); C. Cooney (0-5); T. Monaghan, C. Whelan, G. Lee (0-2 each); D. O’Shea, C. Fahy, S. Linnane (0-1 each).
B. Hogan; C. Morgan, R. Byrne, R. Maher (c); B. O’Mara, M. Breen, C. Bowe; W. Connors, S. Kennedy; A. Tynan, G. O’Connor, N. McGrath; S. Ryan, J. Morris, S. Kenneally.
J. Ryan for B. O’Mara (inj 16); M. Kehoe for J. Morris (21); B. Seymour for S. Ryan (53); D. Stakelum for A. Tynan (61); P. Maher for D. Stakelum (temp, 64-); C. Stakelum for S. Kenneally (69).
D. Fahy; J. Grealish, P. Mannion, T.J. Brennan; R. Glennon, S. Cooney, C. Fahy; D. O’Shea, G. Lee; T. Monaghan, C. Whelan, J. Cooney; E. Niland, C. Cooney, J. Flynn.
D. Morrissey for T.J. Brennan (24); S. Linnane for R. Glennon (temp 35-h-t); D. Burke for S. Linnane (h-t); J. Ryan for J. Cooney (52).
S. Linnane (70+3).
C. Lyons (Cork).
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