Laois left to rue missed chances as Tipp take spoils

TIPPERARY manager Liam Kearns was the man smiling at the final whistle after both he and Peter Creedon had a reunion with former charges at O’Moore Park.

Laois found themselves three points down after 10 minutes, having shot five wides. Donie Kingston opened the scoring for the hosts from a free but Conor Sweeney replied before Jimmy Feehan gave the visitors the lead.

Tipp might have had a lesser share of the ball but they looked much more threatening with it. Sweeney brought his tally to four and the visitors spurned a number of good half-chances at goals.

Colm Begley ended his side’s 16minute drought with a lovely score off the outside of his left boot to spark a revival. Niall Donoher and Kingston added excellent scores and having trailed by five, the hosts were back to within one at half time, 0-7 to 0-6.

Tipperary lost All-Star Michael Quinlivan by this juncture, having received treatment three times in the opening period after he received a late shoulder just seconds into the game. He went down later on holding his head after taking a free and was finally replaced by Liam McGrath in the 25th minute with what appeared to be concussive symptoms.

John O’Loughlin levelled within seconds of the resumption but Tipp got their noses in front once more, Austin and McGrath supplementing the successful freetaking of Sweeney.

Evan Comerford made two magnificent saves from Donie and Paul Kingston before the former, who had been Laois’s best player, was incorrectly black-carded by Niall McKenna.

The home support found their voices when David Conway took a brilliant pass from Darren Strong to goal in 60th minute.

That left just one between them but Tipp found the right response once more, points from Liam Casey, Emmet Moloney and Kevin Fahey giving them breathing space before Kevin O’Halloran’s injury-time goal secured the win.