Tipp-Top Wicklow Overwhelm Premier County To Line Up Promotion Showdown

Kevin Quinn scored 1-5 as Wicklow eased past Tipperary in Aughrim to keep their promotion hopes alive

Wicklow produced a commanding performance to overwhelm Tipperary in the Allianz Football League Division 4 meeting in Aughrim on Sunday, moving into second place in the table with one round of fixtures remaining.

The Garden County effectively decided the contest before half-time, racing into a massive 2-15 to 0-03 lead at the break after a dominant opening period.

Tipperary showed more resistance after the restart and narrowly outscored the hosts in the second half, but the damage had already been done. Wicklow still ran out comfortable winners on a 3-19 to 0-14 scoreline.

The result leaves Wicklow firmly in the hunt for promotion ahead of their final-round clash with Longford next weekend, while Tipperary still retain a slim mathematical chance of moving up.

Kevin Quinn was the standout performer for Wicklow, finishing with 1-05, while Eoin Darcy and Pádraig O’Toole also raised green flags for the home side.

Scorers – Wicklow:
K Quinn 1-05 (2 two-pointers); O McGraynor 0-05 (1 two-pointer); E Darcy 1-02 (1 free); M Jackson 0-04 (2 two-point frees); P O’Toole 1-01; C O’Brien, C Fee 0-01 each.

Tipperary:
S O’Connor 0-07 (1 free, 1 two-pointer, 2 two-point frees); C Smith, P Creedon, S O’Brien 0-02 each; J Morris 0-01.

Following the win, Wicklow boss Oisin McCoville took time out to speak with East Coast FM's Micheal Sargent.  He was pleased with the showing overall. 

''There was a period in the first half where we just played brilliant football for 12, 14, 15 minutes maybe. I think we had seven two-pointers maybe a half-point. They're the things that make all the difference. We thought we were really good and passed us in the second half and probably created enough chances maybe to get a lot more scores but on the day I thought our attitude was spot on and when our attitude is spot on it gives us a chance to win any game but today was very satisfying and I have to say that from our boys' point of view it was a really good performance.''

Having made some changes from their defeat to Antrim, the Armagh man was pleased at the impact of those changes:

''I think freshening it up was there for it. It was a heavy day, heavy pitch, big wind and I'll tell you what the changes did. They gave us a huge amount of energy and I thought we seen the game out better.''

He also acknowledged how tricky the league campaign can prove to be:

''Yeah, well we didn't play well against Antrim but I think the league is the league. I didn't to be honest I know other people outside of anybody who knows Division 4 would expect different but we didn't expect any different we knew it was going to come down to the last two games regardless so that's one of them out of the way and we need to go to Longford next week and I'm sure that's one that they'll be looking forward to a home game makes a massive difference but for us bring it down to the last day and we're happy with that.''

So for McConville and crew it comes down to a final showdown against Longford that could secure promotion: 

''Yeah, well, look, we felt we were going to be at the start of the year and I'm sure, as I say, we'll go down to Longford, I'm sure they'll be thinking that they're in a similar position to us. So we'll go down there and we try and bring the same attitude and application that we had today as we do that.  There's been nothing but a kick of the ball between the two teams and every team we've played so yeah we're looking forward to it.''