Tipperary v Antrim
Sunday 2-00pm Moneygall
Following an opening day defeat in this year’s NFL Division 4 to Carlow, Antrim footballers make the long journey to Moneygall on day 2 where they will face Tipperary.
Mark Doran’s Antrim made a bright start against the O’Byrne Shield winners in Portglenone when they raced into a three point lead through Pat Shivers, Niall Burns and Conor Small after 10 minutes in an opening period that promised much.
That promising opening saw the game turned on its head when a turnover in the Antrim attack saw Carlow race forward and Mikey Bambrik placed Niall Roche to fire past John McNabb for the visitors opening goal.
It got worse for the Saffron when they conceded a penalty soon after when Conor Doyle was fouled and Christopher Blake dispatched the resulting award to the net.
The home side rallied in the period leading up to half time to trail by the minimum going into the break and there was expectation that they could push on in the second half but it never materialised.
Instead it was the Leinster minnows who took control again on the restart and two early 2 pointers saw them move clear and they never really looked like being overhauled despite Antrim’s best efforts.
Paddy McAleer rose to fist home a Paddy McBride delivery in the 59th minute to briefly lift their hopes but Antrim’s insistence on going for goals when points would have been the sensible option and their increasing concession of possession enabled Carlow to finish four to the good.
Meanwhile over at McGovern Park in Ruislip it took a late Cian Smith 2 pointer to give Sunday’s opponents, Tipperary a hard earned draw against a lively London who led their visitors for most of the way.
London were the sharper side throughout the opening half and set the early tempo, Joe McGill opening the scoring inside the first minute before Paudie Feehan replied for Tipperary.
McGill was central to much of London’s best work and added an excellent two-pointer and a free to put daylight between the sides.
London led by four at the interval with Shay Rafter, Daniel Clarke and former Antrim player, Kristian Healy on target and the exiles looked on their way to a rare victory.
Tipperary responded through Smith and a Sean O’Connor free, but London continued to look the more composed outfit as, again and again, they snuffed out promising Tipperary attacks and they weren’t helped by O’Connor pushing two frees in a row wide.
Darragh Hogan and a Sean O’Connor 2 pointer on the restart got Tipp going again and further 2 pointers from ace marksman, O’Connor saw Tipperary claw back the London lead but it all seemed to be in vain as the clock ticked down.
Substitute Michael Freaney slotted a crucial two-pointer as injury time began, before McGill restored London’s advantage with a converted free but Smith’s late double salvaged a point for the Premier County.
A point gained or a point lost? That question may not be answered until the end of the season but Tipperary will feel that they can add to that opening day draw when Antrim visit Thurles this weekend.
Mark Doran and his backroom staff will have surely reflected on Antrim’s wastefulness on Sunday past and their less than impressive scoring ratio while turnovers conceded will be another area that will have been looked at this week in training.
Despite their loss to Carlow there were elements of Antrim’s play that will have pleased the management and they will hope to build on them as they make the long journey South this weekend.
Certainly individually quite a number of Antrim players played well with Marc Jordan, Kavan Keenan, Eoghan McCabe, Niall Burns and Oisin Doherty impressing while Pat Shivers was always in the thick of things and on another day might have doubled his 0-3 contribution.
Glenravel pair, Ryan McQuillan and Cathal Hynds could come into the recokoning for a starting place following their performances for Queens in Wednesday evenings Siggerson Cup quarter-final win over TU Dublin. Hynds gave a dominant display at mid-field for the Belfast side while McQuillan contributed 1-7 in a man of the match display.
Even at this stage of the season the Saffrons need to get something from their visit to Moneygall and while it won’t be easy, if they can put individual errors behind them and convert a higher percentage of scoring opportunities then they can get their first points on the board.
Tipperary v London: Shane Garland; Jack Harney, James Morris (0-01, Eoin O’Connell; Charlie King, Paudie Feehan (Captain) (0-01), Luke Boland; Joe Higgins, Kieran Costello; Eoin Craddock, Sean O’Connor (0-09, 3 2pt, 1 2pf), Steven O’Brien; Cian Smith (0-07, 1f, 1 2pt), Cathal Deeley, Daithi Hogan (0-01)
Subs: Micheal Freaney (0-02, 1 2tp) for Cathal Deely (43’), Jack O’Neill for Paudie Feehan (49’), Paddy O’Keefe for Steven O’Brien (53’), Mark Stokes for Charlie King (62’), Emmet Moloney for James Morris (70’)