Tipperary rise to the challenge

NFL DIVISION THREE FINAL Tipperary 0-18 Down 1-14 (AET: 0-13 to 1-10 after 70 mins):SO FORTUNE really does favour the brave. With a pure team being constructed and belief soaring, Tipperary's revitalisation under the astute John Evans ensured anybody with a fondness for sporting romance skipped gleefully away from Pearse Park on Saturday evening charmed and content.

The broad grin etched across Evans’s face captured this stirring tale as the victory was chiselled out with a typically high-octane performance that is fast becoming the Tipperary trademark.

Supremely athletic, and always eager to support the man in possession, Tipp’s busy running game will pose problems for any team. Evans’s rare cocktail of zeal and thoughtfulness has guided Tipp to two consecutive promotions, and this Division Three decider was all about character.

“That is the one part of the team that I knew they would stay with it. Mentally they are a quite a strong team. You need the stuff mentally. Tipperary is a very competitive county, it is competitive in hurling, competitive in everything it does, and in football now,” said Evans.“We kept coming back and coming back, we weren’t going to lie down.”

Tipperary refused to buckle in an intriguing 80 minutes of football. Tipp absorbed all an understrength Down could muster before Seán Carey punched a glorious winning score with the last act of extra time.

The sides were level 11 times during the match so Casey’s last-gasp intervention was pivotal confirming the appetite and talent that exists in the county according to Evans. “Tipperary are getting there, their attitude is brilliant. Their mothers and fathers and relations have a winning attitude and when you have that it is easy to mould them then.”

Next Monday’s All-Ireland under-21 final against Cork deprived Down the services of several regulars, while their marquee forward Benny Coulter joined Liam Doyle and Ambrose Rodgers on the injury list.

Still when Ronan Murtagh tucked away a ninth-minute goal following Cathal Magee’s assist things looked rosy for Down. But Tipp were admirably resourceful, clawing their way back with Brian Coen and Barry Grogan a potent threat and ultimately their will was rewarded courtesy of Carey’s winning score.

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; C Morrissey, C McDonald, A Morrissey; B Fox, H Coghlan, C Aylward (0-1); G Hannigan, B Jones; S Carey (0-1), N Fitzgerald, B Mulvihill (0-2); J Tierney (0-3, one free), B Coen (0-4), B Grogan (0-5, four frees, one pen). Subs: R Costigan for A Morrissey (36 mins), D O'Brien (0-1)for Fitzgerald (41 mins), C Higgins for C Morrissey (57 mins), J Cagney (0-1)for Mulvihill (63 mins), K Mulryan for Jones (63 mins), A Maloney for Coen (70 mins), B Coen for Tierney (70 mins), M Phelan for Fox (81 mins), E Hanrahan for Aylward (89 mins).

DOWN: M McAllister; C McGovern, C Garvey (0-1), L Howard; A Carr (0-5, four frees), P Turley, D Rooney; D Gordon (0-2), S Kearney; B McArdle (0-1), J Boyle (0-1), R Murtagh (1-1); C Magee (0-1), D Hughes (0-2), R Sexton. Subs: J Ireland for McArdle (yellow, 36 mins), D Rafferty for Turley (42 mins), M Cole for Rafferty (yellow, 55 mins), K Duffin for Boyle (63 mins), P Murphy for Ireland (86 mins).

Referee: C Reilly(Meath).