Down 3-11 Tipperary 3-11 A Declan Browne goal a minute from time almost saw Tipperary get their campaign off to the perfect start in Burren yesterday. Liam Doyle, though, saved Down's blushes with an injury-time equalising point.
Tipperary produced an excellent second-half display which saw them make up an eight-point deficit over the last 32 minutes.
Down led by 1-3 to no score after eight minutes, with Dan Gordon scoring the goal. Two points each from Browne and Glen Burke brought Tipperary back into the game but Down still led by 1-6 to 0-4 at half-time.
Benny Coulter's goal gave the Ulstermen that eight-point lead before Tipperary's long-ball tactics began to pay dividends.
James Williams found the net on 41 minutes and then Tipperary began to whittle down the lead.
DOWN: M McVeigh; M Higgins, A Molloy, J Doran; R Sexton, Seán Ward, S Farrell; B Coulter (1-3), D Gordon (1-0); L Doyle (0-2), J Clarke (0-2), C McCrickard (0-2); E McCartan, A O'Prey (0-1), D Hughes (1-1). Subs: D McCartan for Doran, A Shields for O'Prey, Shane Ward for E McCartan.
TIPPERARY: P Ryan; D Byrne, S Collum, L Cronin; N Sheehan, T Russell, B Hahessy; K Mulryan, A Fitzgerald (0-1); G Burke (0-3), F O'Callaghan, James Williams (1-0); P Cahill (1-0), D Browne (1-7), D O'Brien. Subs: M Webster for Russell, L England for O'Callaghan.
Referee: S McCormack (Meath).
