Croke Park date a big incentive for O’Connor

But Louth needed to let Tipp know they were in a game and O’Connor felt that James Stewart did just that after the re-start.

‘I think his point at the start of the second-half was crucial. It was a goal chance and it was just the power and pace he came through at that we knew they were there for the taking. We needed the first score against Armagh last week and didn’t get it so it was a huge one today.

‘In the earlier matches I suppose people said we were playing the bottom-half teams, so it was great to show we could do it against the better teams and push on. Aaron Rogers has done serious work with us this year and I think we’re very fit and agile and flexible and it showed there when we pushed on in the last few minutes.’