CAREY TIPPS THE BALANCE FOR PREMIER.

Byline: SEAMUS MORRIS

DOWN 1- 14

TIPPERARY 0-18

TIPPERARY captured the NFL Division Three title with a narrow extra-time win over Down in Pearse Park, Longford on Saturday evening.

With daylight fading fast, Tipperary forward Sean Carey was the hero, coolly fisting over the point which clinched the title.

Tipp manager John Evans was understandably delighted afterwards, stating: "This is a fabulous evening for us. We showed out there that we had the mental capacity to win.

"We kept picking off points and playing football.

"We didn't defend too much and luck also fell our way." Down manager Ross Carr, inset, rued missed chances by his side.

"We'd enough chances to win the game in normal time. Aidan (Carr's son) missed a few free-kicks he shouldn't have missed.

There were kicks from 20 yards into the Tipp keeper's arms," he said.

"However, it would be wrong to be overcritical as the pitch conditions were heavy." Despite the defeat, Carr is optimistic going into the forthcoming Ulster Championship game against Fermanagh.

"If the players show the same commitment and application that they showed today in the Championship, then we won't be far away." Played in front of a sparse attendance, a scrappy first half ended with the side's level, 1-4 to 0-7.

Down found the net after nine minutes when Ronan Murtagh scored the only goal of the game.

Peter Turley sent in a long ball which was won by big full-forward Cathal Magee. Magee offloaded to Murtagh, who finished past Tipp keeper Paul Fitzgerald.

Tipperary were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute, after Luke Howard hauled down Barry Grogan. Grogan took the spotkick himself, but he hit his shot high and it went over the crossbar.

Down midfielder Dan Gordon had a point disallowed in the 34th minute, apparently for sending the ball over the crossbar with his open hand.

Down had two players yellow carded in the second half, Peter Turley and Damien Rafferty.

The sides matched each other score for score in the second period. Tipp led by a point in the closing stages of normal time, but Daniel Hughes brought the game to extra-time by sending over a point for Down.

Down led by a point at the end of the first period of extratime, with Aidan Carr sending over two free-kicks in that ten minute period.

Tipp's Grogan also sent over two points from frees in the early stages of the second period.

A point from play from Aidan Carr with two minutes remaining brought the sides level.

But with the spectre of another ten minutes of extra-time looming in near darkness, Carey fisted over the winning point for Tipperary right at the death.

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; C Morrissey, C McDonald, A Morrissey; B Fox, H Coghlan, C Alyward (0-1); G Hannigan, B Jones; S Carey (0-1), N Fitzgerald, B Mulvihill (0-2); J Tierney (0-3, 2f), B Coen (0-4), B Grogan (0-5, 4f). Subs: R Costigan for A Morrissey (half-time), D O'Brien (0-1) for Fitzgerald (40 mins), C Higgins for C Morrissey (54 mins), J Cagney (0-1) for Mulvihill (60 mins), K Mulryan for Jones (61 mins), I Barnes for Coen (68 mins), E Hanrahan for Aylward (44 mins).

DOWN: M McAllister; C McGovern, L Howard, P Turley; A Carr (0-5, 4f), C Garvey (0-1), D Rooney; D Gordon (0-2), S Kearney; B McArdle (0-1), J Boyle (0-1), R Sexton; . Hughes (0-2), C Magee (0-1), R Murtagh (1-1).

Subs: J Ireland for McArdle (half-time), D Rafferty for Turley (yellow carded, 42 mins), M Cole for Rafferty (yellow carded, 52 mins), K Duffin for Boyle (60 mins), P Murphy for Ireland (5 mins, extra-time).

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TIPP TOP Tipperary celebrate on Saturday evening