A 58th minute point from full forward Pauric Davis gave Longford a dramatic victory over Tipperary at Clonmel. The home side, who led 1-10 to 2-3 at half-time, looked on course for their second successive win but a failure to hit the target after the break saw them falter.

Tipperary were rocked by a Paul Barden goal in the sixth minute which gave the visitors a 1-1 to 0-2 lead but a string of points from Peter Lambert, Damian O'Brien and Sean Maher restored the advantage. The hard working Lambert grabbed Tipperary's goal in the 20th minute but their joy was short-lived when corner forward Trevor Smullen's rasping shot beat Philly Ryan in the Tipperary goal. Further points, however, from Lambert James Williams, Damian O'Brien and Conor O'Dwyer saw Tipperary six points clear at half-time.

On the resumption Davis landed three points and Barden and Trevor Smullen also hit the target to make it 1-12 to 2-8 with 10 minutes remaining. Substitute John Shanahan had a Tipperary point in the 59th minute but points from Ian Brown and Davis saw the visitors draw level 1-13 to 2-10 with three minutes to go. A minute later Longford's star performer Davis sealed victory with a long range point.

LONGFORD: G Tonra; P Jones, D Ledwith, C Drake; M Mulleady, M Lennon, E Ledwith; D Hannify, I Brown (0-1); A Nealon, P Bardon (1- 3), David Bardon; J Martin, P Davis (0-6), T Smullen (1-1). Subs: C Sheridan for P Jones, N Sheridan for A Nealon, E Bardon for D Bardon.

TIPPERARY: P Ryan; W Morrissey, D Byrne, N Sheehan; S Collum (0-1), N Kelly, K Maguire; S Maher (0-1), K Mulryan; T Connors (0-1), C O'Dwyer (0-1), J Butler; P Lambert (1-4), E Hanrahan, D O'Brien (0-3). Subs: J Williams (0-1) for J Butler, J Shanahan (0-1) for P Lambert, Sean MacDermott for T Connors, L Cronin for W Morrissey, P Morrrissey for J Williams.

Referee: A Higgins (Antrim).