‘Tipps’ Louth over the edge
Quinlivan only needed a sniff of the target to end the game as a contest in the 17th minute.
Again it was too easy from Louth’s point of view, but they did enjoy a spell of supremacy after the goal.
Tipp understandably eased off the gas after opening that 12-point cushion so early, but Louth couldn’t take advantage, kicking three wides in quick succession after Ryan Burns converted a free to register their second score of the game.
The Reds had Gallagher to thank for keeping the score ‘down’ at the interval as the Cooley Kickhams man denied Quinlivan with a fine one-handed save, but Tipp were still home and hosed at the break, turning with a 2-9 to 0-3 advantage.
Louth were better after the break but it was hard to gauge just how much of it was down to Tipp slipping a few gears.
The Reds certainly bossed the third quarter, albeit without ever threatening to make any real inroads into Tipperary’s lead.
Burns converted his third free straight after the re-start and Andy McDonnell kicked a fine points from wide on the right.
Those efforts were swiftly cancelled out by Maher and McGrath, but Louth’s improvement continued with another Burns’ free and two excellent points from Tommy Durnin and Conor Grimes.
But Tipp were playing well within themselves and McGrath and Quinlivan put paid to any hopes of a Louth revival with a point apiece pretty much on cue.
Understandably Louth’s enthusiasm waned in the final quarter, but Tipp didn’t really seem too bothered about working on their score difference either.
As the crowd started to pour in for Tipp’s hurling clash with Cork, they certainly won’t have been won over to the big ball game as the final quarter petered out.
William Woods kicked Louth’s last point in the 61st minute, but Ciaran Downey forced a good save from Ciaran Kenrick in the closing stages.
In contrast to their lightning start Tipp sauntered through the final few minutes.
Sweeney added two more frees to bring his tally to seven, while Kevin O’Halloran and Jason Lonergan added their names to the scoresheet.