Tipperary 0-12
Louth 0-16
Jackie Cahill reporting at Semple Stadium, Thurles
COLIN KELLY’S LOUTH have gained promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz Football League.
The Wee County stunned fellow promotion chasers Tipperary at Semple Stadium, as Conor Sweeney missed a penalty for the hosts in first half stoppage time.
Louth now face Sligo in their final game, while Tipperary and Armagh will battle it out for the second promotion spot on offer.
Tipp were pre-match favourites in Thurles but came a cropper against a well-drilled Louth outfit.
Tipp also registered 13 wides during the course of the game and had Michael Quinlivan black-carded in the second half.
Louth lost full-back Patrick Reilly to a first half black card and Declan Byrne suffered a similar fate in the 59th minute. But the visitors outscored Tipp by 0-10 to 0-4 in the second half, and were deserving victors.
The visitors had Eoin O’Connor in fine scoring form and they operated with the breeze at their backs in the opening half.
The sides were level three times early on but Tipp went closest to scoring an elusive goal, captain Brian Fox denied in the 24th minute before Sweeney was handed the chance to convert a penalty.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Michael Quinlivan was fouled in an incident that led to almost two minutes of treatment for the 2016 All-Star. Sweeney stepped up to take the penalty but his effort struck the upright and rebounded back into play, with Philip Austin on hand to score a point, and hand Tipp a 0-8 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Louth threatened early in the second half as James Stewart forced Evan Comerford to turn his shot over the Tipperary crossbar.
Sensing that there was something in this game for them, Louth grabbed the initiative and a run of four unanswered points put them 0-12 to 0-10 in front.
Louth lost Byrne to a black card after he hauled down Jack Kennedy but Tipp were handed a setback five minutes from the end of normal time when Quinlivan was black-carded.
Tipp were back to within a point on a couple of occasions but Louth finished the match strong, as scores from O’Connor (free), Gerard McSorley and Conal McKeever sealed victory, and promotion, in front of 1,067 spectators.
Scorers for Louth: Eoin O’Connor 0-5 (1f), Derek Maguire & Dean Maguire 0-2 each, John Bingham, James Stewart, Tommy Durnin, Declan Byrne, Paraic Smith (f), Conal McKeever & Gerard McSorley 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 0-4 (3f), Michael Quinlivan (1f) & Liam McGrath 0-2 each, Jack Kennedy, Josh Keane (f), Kevin O’Halloran (f) & Philip Austin 0-1 each.
Louth
1. Craig Lynch (Naomh Máirtín)
2. Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)
3. Patrick Reilly (St Bride’s)
4. John Bingham (Ardee St Mary’s)
5. Derek Maguire (Dundalk Young Irelands)
17. Kurt Murphy (Sean Mathúna)
7. James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)
20. Dean Maguire (Dundalk Young Irelands)
8. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)
10. Declan Byrne (St Mochta’s)
11. Paraic Smith (Dreadnots)
12. Bevan Duffy (St Fechin’s)
21. Conor Martin (Sean O’Mahony’s)
22. Eoin O’Connor (St Patrick’s)
25. Sam Mulroy (Naomh Máirtín)
Subs:
14. Kevin Carr (Newtown Blues) for Reilly (b/c 25)
26. Gerard McSorley (Dundalk Gaels) for Mulroy (41)
23. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers) or Byrne (b/c 59)
13. Ruairí Moore (O’Raghallaighs) for Durnin (64)
19. Conal McKeever (Clan na nGael) for Martin (70+3)
24. Derek Crilly Dundalk Gaels) for O’Connor (70+5).
Tipperary
1. Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
2. Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers)
3. Paddy Codd (Killenaule)
4. Willie Connors (Kildanagan)
5. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash),
6. Robbie Kiely (Carbery Rangers, Cork)
7. Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule)
8. Liam Casey (Cahir)
9. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)
10. Josh Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle)
11. Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe)
12. Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty)
13. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
14. Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials)
15. Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney).
Subs
21. Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers) for Fox (temp 8-17)
22. Philip Austin (Borrisokane) for Keane (inj., 20)
17. Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials) for Maher (h.t.)
21. Liam Boland for O’Halloran (59)
18. Shane O’Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle) for Quinlivan (b/c 66).
Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)
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