A two pointer free from Sean O'Connor deep in stoppage time saw Tipperary come back from four points down to earn a draw against Longford in their Division 4 clash played in tough conditions in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
The strong, swirling wind didn’t help either side and in the final 10 minutes the wind lashed down. Games between these two sides are always tight and this afternoon’s encounter was no exception.
Tipp enjoyed a spell in the first half while Longford started the second half well with substitute Dylan Farrell making an impact. Tipperary kicked three early points before Longford got their first point in the 12th minute through Liam Glennon.
They then kicked over three points in a row including two lovely efforts from Oran Kenny to edge in front in the 24th minute. Points were traded between the sides before Dessie Reynolds scored a two pointer in the 28th minute.
Cian Smith fired over a neat point for Tipp in the 29th minute before Longford built up a three points lead; Matthew Carey (free) and Daniel Reynolds with points. Just before the break Sean O’Connor fired over a point to leave Tipp trailing 0-7 to 0-9.
Longford manager Mike Solan brought on two players at half-time. One of those, Dylan Farrell kicked over a two point free in the 37th minute to put four between the sides. Smith and Daithi Hogan replied for Tipp before Farrell found the back of the net with an excellent strike.
Tipp came back and cut the gap to one in the 50th minute; amongst the points was a two pointer from O’Connor. Longford held onto the ball and worked it well in the second half. In the 58th minute a fantastic point from Oran Kenny restored Longford’s four point lead.
A sixth point from the boot of Smith put a goal between the sides in the 60th minute. The game swung in Longford’s favour coming near the end with Dessie Reynolds putting four between them again but credit to Tipp they never gave up and two two pointers from Smith and O’Connor (free) saw the Munster side earn a share of the spoils.
Longford: Eoin McGuinness; Patrick Fox, Ryan Moffett, Bryan Masterson; Peter Lynn, Oisin O’Toole, Dessie Reynolds (0-03, 1tp); Liam Glennon (0-01), Daire O’Brien; James Moran, Joseph Hagan, Daniel Reynolds (0-02); Paddy Moran (0-01), Matthew Carey (0-01,1f), Oran Kenny (0-03).
Subs: Niall Farrelly (0-01) for O’Brien and Dylan Farrell (1-03, 12pf) for P Moran (ht), Oisin Kenny for Daniel Reynolds (60mins), Matthew Flynn for J Moran (68mins)
Tipperary: Shane Garland; Jake Harney, James Morris, Mark Corcoran; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Luke Boland; Joe Higgins, Kieran Costello; Charlie King, Steven O’Brien (0-01), Eoin O’Connell; Cian Smith (0-08, 1tpf), Sean O’Connor (0-06, 1tp, 1tpf), Daithi Hogan (0-03).
Subs: Mark Russell for Feehan (54mins), Jack O’Neill for Boland, Paddy O’Keefe for O’Brien Killian Butler for King (60mins), Manus McFaddan for Harney (62mins)
Referee: Mark Loughran (Tyrone)
