Fitzgerald hails 'statement win' as Tipp tyros kick off Tailteann Cup with Sligo scalp
GOOD DAY AT OFFICE: Tipperary manager Niall Fitzgerald. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Niall Fitzgerald hailed his young guns’ “statement win” as Tipperary got their Tailteann Cup campaign off to a winning start at the fifth time of asking.
Seán O’Connor scored six points from play as the Premier dictated the kick-out battle and managed the clock well before holding off a late Sligo comeback at Markievicz Park.
The victory marked Tipp’s first championship victory over the Yeats County at the fifth attempt, following hot on the heels of 16- and five-point defeats in the past two seasons.
They will play another round 1 winner for a bye straight through to the quarter-finals. Sligo will meet a fellow round 1 loser in the last chance saloon.
“It's massive with the new format,” said Tipp boss Fitzgerald. “Clare have gone into the losers’ group. Limerick have gone into the losers’ group. They’re real tough games. There's going to be very few easy games down there. At least now, we know we have two more championship games. We're really happy with that.
“Coming away to Sligo, to a Division 3 team, and getting a championship win, that's a statement win for such a young group. I'm really delighted for them. It was a real mature performance.”
There was a series of late changes to the named teams. Ross Doherty and Cian Lally came into the Sligo side for Eddie McGuinness and James Donlon. When Luke Towey pulled up injured in the warm-up, Donlon was restored to start.
Eoin Craddock was drafted into the Tipp team for Kieran Costello, who was ill. Their bench was boosted by the returns to fitness of Steven O’Brien, Luke Boland, and Jimmy Feehan, who was togging out for the first time this year.
Backed by the wind, the visitors booted four first-half orange flags. They began with five unanswered points. O’Connor’s handpassed effort was followed by Micheál Freaney and Daithí Hogan two-pointers.
Shane Deignan got Sligo on the board in the eighth minute. Cian Smith kicked an immediate response.
Tipp could’ve hammered home their advantage in the 14th minute. O’Connor intercepted a short kick-out and went for the jugular, only to drill across the goal and wide from a tight angle.
Sligo had three of the next four scores, with Niall Murphy converting from play and a free. Tipp’s reply was an O’Connor two-pointer.
A Craddock fisted score and a sublime second orange flag from O’Connor, slaloming past the tight-marking Luke Casserly to split the posts, moved Tipp seven clear.
Sligo closed with a well-timed goal. From a quick sideline, Alan McLoughlin, Doherty, and Murphy were involved before Lee Deignan sent the ball through Shane Garland’s legs.
The first five Sligo attacks ended in four wides and an Eoin O’Connell block. Charlie King fisted over Tipp’s sole attack of the opening 10 minutes.
Gavin Gorman got Sligo going, but a 50-metre advancement cost them a point, to Smith, and O’Connor added his sixth. Emmet Moloney helped to protect their six-point cushion with the next score.
They controlled the clock with some patient possession play, and were helped by Sligo butchering the final pass for two goal chances.
A Murphy point was cancelled out by a fine effort from standout midfielder Joe Higgins.
Sligo got back within one score with nine minutes to play. Pat Spillane’s high, hanging two-pointer was followed by a close-range Murphy single for 0-16 to 1-10.
Speedy wing-back King settled Tipp with a point, but Spillane’s second orange flag made it a two-point game with three minutes remaining.
They had three attempts for an equaliser, but McLoughlin fired wide before Murphy (free) and Spillane shots dropped short.
N Murphy (1 free), P Spillane (2tp) (0-4 each); L Deignan (1-0); G Gorman, D Cummins, A McLoughlin (free), S Deignan (0-1 each).
S O’Connor (0-6, 2tp); C King, M Freaney (tp), C Smith (1f), D Hogan (tp) (0-2 each); E Moloney, J Higgins, E Craddock (0-1 each).
S Garland; M Corcoran, E O’Connell, J O’Neill; E Moloney, J Morris, C King; J Higgins, P Feehan; K Butler, M Freaney, E Craddock; C Smith, S O’Connor, D Hogan.
D O’Connor for Higgins (29-33, blood), P Creedon for Smith (56), L Boland for Butler (59), S O’Brien for Craddock (69).
A Devaney; J Lavin, L Casserly, T Ross; D O’Boyle, C Sheridan, J Donlon; G Gorman, D Cummins; R Doherty, A McLoughlin, L Deignan; C Lally, N Murphy, S Deignan.
P Kilcoyne for Gorman (23-24, blood), D Quinn for S Deignan (43), P Spillane for O’Boyle (49), E McGuinness for Donlon (56), K Cawley for Lally (58), M McDaniel for Cummins (65).
K Eannetta (Tyrone).
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