The impressive Sean O'Connor kicked eight points as Tipperary recorded their first win of Division 4 and left Longford pointless after two games. It was a first win for Tipp in the National League since 2022.
Played in poor conditions with a swirling wind throughout, on the balance of play the visitors deserved the win.
On six occasions in the second half, Longford cut the gap to one point but each time Tipp were able to go down the field and get the vital score.
The hosts made a fine start to the game with points from Darren Gallagher (free) and Michael Quinn putting them two clear on nine minutes.
JK Brackens' Jack Kennedy responded with Tipp’s opening point on the 10th minute.
In a dominant opening quarter for the home side, Mark Hughes saw his goalbound shot blocked by Jimmy Feehan but Longford slotted two points afterwards to take a 4-1 lead by the 15th minute. However, that was to be their final score until half-time stoppage time.
Tipp took a hold of the game and created a number of goal chances while also kicking over six points in a row; Clonmel’s Jack Kennedy kicked over two points (one '45 and a free), Stephen O’Brien kicked over an excellent point but had to go off injured.
Oisin O’Toole and Gallagher blocked efforts before Longford keeper Micheál Hughes pulled off a save to keep his goal intact.
Longford were guilty of giving away the ball cheaply when in possession and were turned over all too frequently. Once again, Gallagher was their best player and in stoppage time he kicked over a fantastic pointed free to cut the gap to two going in at the break - 0-05 to 0-07.
Good play from Cathal McCabe and Gallagher cut the deficit to one but Tipp replied with two points from O’Connor (one free).
Jayson Matthews and Mark Hughes kicked excellent efforts to close the gap to one but Tipp were ahead by three in the 47th minute with the brilliant O’Connor kicking over his fifth point of the game.
Dylan Farrell kicked over three frees for Longford but two pointed frees from O’Connor and a great effort from the excellent Paddy Creedon edged Tipp in front by three in the 64th minute.
After he signalled to the bench to go off after picking up an injury, Gallagher kicked over a superb point to keep his side in the game. McGann put one between the sides but right at the end Sean O’Connor sealed the win with a fine point.
Longford: Micheál Hughes; P Fox, O O'Toole, B Masterson; K McGann (0-02), R Moffett, M Quinn (0-01); D Gallagher (0-06, 4f), D Duggan; Daniel Reynolds, Dylan Farrell (0-03, 3f), J Hagan; J Matthews (0-01), Mark Hughes (0-01), C McCabe.
Subs: D Mimnagh for Reynolds (ht), Dessie Reynolds for Masterson (60), L Hughes for Duggan (67), B Peters for McCabe (69)
Tipperary: J Rodgers; S O’Connell, J Feehan, E Moloney; J Morris, K Costello, P Feehan; S O’Brien (0-01), Jack Kennedy (JK Brackens) (0-02,’45,1f); C Cadell, S Grogan, C Deeley (0-02); Jack Kennedy (0-01), P Creedon (0-02), S O’Connor (0-08, 5f).
Subs: T Doyle for O’Brien (28), M Stokes for Cadell (53), M Kehoe for Kennedy (54), R O’Dowd for Maloney (60), D O’Leary for Creedon (70+2)
Referee: Christopher Ryan (Galway)
