Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PREMIER FIRST PAST THE POST
GOALS proved crucial as Tipperary claimed Allianz Football League Division Three glory at Croke Park last night.
Liam Casey (below) netted in the first half before top scorer Conor Sweeney bagged two second half strikes for the Premier County, in front of a disappointing 5,823 attendance at GAA HQ.
Conor Sweeney and Kevin O’Halloran put over frees before Jack Kennedy and Sweeney pointed from play, moving Tipp into the lead for the first time in the game, 0-8 to 0-7.
The goal arrived on the half hour mark, Sweeney the creator with an excellent hand-pass that found Casey in behind the Louth cover.
The former under-21 midfield star held his nerve and crashed a shot past Craig Lynch.
Louth did steady before half-time as the sides shared the remaining four points but the Wee County did have the breeze at their backs in the second half, trailing by 0-9 to 1-11 as play restarted.
They started well, too, as cutting Tipp’s lead back to just two points, 1-12 to 0-13.
But the winners regrouped and the second goal was a knife in Louth’s hearts, coming in the 47th minute.
It was a wholly avoidable concession from Louth’s viewpoint, as Bevan Duffy was turned over as he attempted to clear, allowing Sweeney to pounce.
Louth hung in grimly and while they did cut the margin back to four points down the home straight, Tipp made the game safe on the counter-attack in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Sweeney turned inside a back-pedalling defender and slotted past Lynch to put the icing on the Tipperary cake. JOHN HESLIN proved inspirational for Westmeath with an eight point tally at Croke Park to help seal the Division Four title.
The Lake County secured their first piece of silverware since the 2008 Division Two title victory with surprising ease and had key performers in Kieran Martin, Ger Egan (left) and Paul Sharry.