Sigerson heroics may have cost 'under-par' Tipp admits Fitzgerald
Ross Dunphy scores a first-half goal for Carlow during the win over Tipperary. Pic: Pat Ahern
Niall Fitzgerald felt that Tipperary’s young prospects showed the aftereffects of their Sigerson Cup exertions in a three-point defeat to high-flying Carlow.
In an uplifting week for Premier football, the county had seven players on UL’s breakthrough Sigerson-winning squad on Wednesday. An eighth panellist, Eoin Craddock, fielded for Mary I at Croke Park in Friday’s Fitzgibbon final.
While such top-level exposure will stand Tipp in good stead down the line, it wasn’t ideal preparation for their Carlow clash. Ben McCarron’s 64th-minute penalty save from Seán O’Connor proved the critical moment in front of 841 fans at FBD Semple Stadium.
“It's been a tough two weeks in preparation, with eight lads involved in both Sigerson and Fitzgibbon. It was evident the boys were suffering the effects of that. James Morris aside, I thought he was excellent, but the lads were a little bit under par,” said Tipp manager Fitzgerald.
“That was hard because we rely on these young fellas for a lot of the energy in the group and energy on the field. It's a real positive week having that many players involved in a Sigerson, it was brilliant, but it's not much good to us today.”Â
Carlow trailed by seven on 31 minutes, but kicked the final three points of the first half into the wind, before winning the second by 0-10 to 0-3.
They now sit two points clear at the summit of Division 4, with manager Joe Murphy identifying “loads of improvement to make”.
Tipp slip to sixth in a congested table, albeit just one point off the promotion places.
Fitzgerald took issue with not being awarded a 50-metre advancement for a Carlow player failing to hand back the ball after a foul. While putting other contested decisions down to a matter of interpretation, he considered that situation as clear-cut.
“There's no excuse for the technical decisions when it's that simple,” he said.
“I'm not happy about that one. I don't think it was the reason we lost the game, but it's bizarre. I can't accept the technical decisions. They just really frustrate me.”Â
The game opened with saves from both keepers before Tipp kicked four points in a row, including a Steven O’Brien two-point free. Their kick-out press was troubling Carlow, with Cian Smith profiting for a couple of scores. He would end the half on 0-5.
Carlow were level by the 19th minute. Ross Dunphy was initially denied by Shane Garland and hit the ground, but managed to punch in the rebound for 0-5 to 1-2.
Tipp soon produced a 1-2 burst. The goal capitalised on a long-ball routine as O’Brien drifted inside to lash a rocket from the 14-yard line into the bottom corner. Mark Stokes’ potshot two-pointer made it 1-11 to 1-4.
Colm Hulton (0-5) kept the visitors in touch and Chris Blake’s two-point free narrowed the half-time deficit; 1-11 to 1-7.
Carlow extended their point-scoring streak to nine in a row as Conor Crowley’s brace edged them ahead. A huge Blake orange flag gave them a three-point cushion.
Tipp had the chance to level when Paudie Feehan was fouled for a penalty. O’Connor fired down the middle, but McCarron managed to reach back to divert the ball up and over the bar.
: S O’Brien (1-2, 1tpf); C Smith (0-5, 3 frees); S O’Connor (0-3, 1 free, 1 pen); M Stokes (0-2, tp); D Hogan, K Butler (0-1 each).
C Blake (0-7, 1tpf, 1tp, 3 frees); C Hulton (0-5); R Dunphy (1-0); C Crowley (0-3); P McDonnell, J Murphy (0-1 each).
: S Garland; J Harney, J Morris, M Corcoran; L Boland, P Feehan (capt), M Stokes; J Higgins, K Costello; C King, S O’Brien, M Freaney; C Smith, S O’Connor, D Hogan.
Subs: JP Mbokha Tansia for Freaney (h-t), E Moloney for Boland (49), K Butler for King (50), D Brennan for O’Brien (58), M Russell for Mbokha Tansia (60).
: B McCarron; C Byrne, D Curran, L Moore; N Roche, E Ruth, P Bolger; M Furey, C Doyle; P McDonnell, C Hulton, M Bambrick (capt); C Crowley, C Blake, R Dunphy.
Subs: J Murphy for Bolger (h-t), T Roche for Bambrick (49, inj), S Murphy for Dunphy (52), A Burgess for Ruth (69).
: J Regan (Cork).
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