All Ireland Football Round 4A Qualifier

Tipperary 1-21 Derry 2-17

By Orla Bannon at Kingspan Breffni Park

Three injury-time points put Tipperary through to the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals for the first time after a thrilling qualifier against Derry on Saturday.

The game ebbed and flowed and Tipp could have folded after Derry substitute Eoghan Brown hit them with a sucker-punch goal in the 66th minute to put the Oak Leafers in front.

Danny Heavron's fourth point of a great game put Derry two points ahead in the 69th minute of the Round 4A clash at Kingspan Breffni Park, but Tipp dug deep.

Kevin O'Halloran's equalising free was followed by two late Conor Sweeney points in the 72 and 74th minutes seeing the Munster finalists advance to an All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway in Croke Park on Sunday July 31.

O'Halloran received a black card in the sixth minute of stoppage time for hauling down Brendan Rogers.  Then Rogers had a chance to take the game to extra time but his long-range effort tailed wide.

On the balance of play, Tipp shaded it and ran at Derry in the second half.

Damian Barton's side led 1-8 to 0-10 at the break and had the wind after the break, but a goalkeeping mistake by Thomas Mallon, who hit his kickout straight to O'Halloran, gifted Tipp the momentum in the second half with a 48th minute goal.

Even when Derry came strong, they refused to buckle and deserved their place in the last eight.

Tipp scored five unanswered points early on with Michael Quinlivan's superb score putting them 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after 11 minutes. Conor Sweeney, Peter Acheson and Philip Austin also scored from play.

There were a couple of goal chances. Danny Heavron drew a great save from Tipp goalkeeper Evan Comerford, who pushed the shot over the bar, and Thomas Mallon saved Quinlivan's fisted effort with his knees.

Both teams made a lot of unforced errors which led to frequent turnovers and scrappy play, but the quality of some of the points made up for the mistakes.

Kevin O'Halloran also nailed some lovely dead balls off the ground with his left foot, a '45' followed by two long-range frees as Tipp maintained their lead and moved 0-7 to 0-3 ahead after 18 minutes.

After a ropey start, Derry sprang to life and outscored the Munster finalists by 1-5 to 0-1 in the next 15 minutes.

James Kielt drove through for a vital point with Loughlin scoring his third from play and Mark Lynch converted two easy frees before his goal in the 32nd minute.

Ciaran McFaul's flicked kick released Danny Heavron, whose pace caused problems down the right side of Tipp's defence.

Although the ball fell loose when he was tackled on the edge of the square, Lynch pulled on the loose ball and drove it high into the roof of the net.

That put Derry ahead for the first time since the early moments. Enda Lynn followed it up with a point as they moved into a flattering three-point lead, 1-8 to 0-8, in the 33rd minute.

Tipp's early conviction and purpose appeared to be draining away, but they had a good finish to the half with O'Halloran and Quinlivan reducing the half-time deficit to 1-8 to 0-10.

The sides were level three times in the early stages of the second half until O'Halloran's goal.

Bill Maher's shot dropped short and goalkeeper Mallon caught it, but slid as he kicked the ball out and O'Halloran caught it and buried it back beyond the devastated 'keeper from close range.

Quinlivan’s frees kept the scoreboard ticking for Tipp.

The excellent Danny Heavron lifted Derry with three second-half scores, but it still looked like Tipp's day until Brown followed up Ciaran McFaul's effort and palmed the ball into the net to give Derry the lead.

Conor Sweeney's brace in injury time changed the momentum again, his winner coming in the 74th minute.

Scorers for Tipperary: K O'Halloran 1-5 (1 '45', 4fs), M Quinlivan 0-6 (4fs), C Sweeney 0-5, J Keane 0-2, P Acheson 0-1, P Austin 0-1, B Maher 0-1.

Scorers for Derry: M Lynch 1-4 (3fs), D Heavron 0-4, N Loughlin 0-3, E Brown 1-0, J Kielt 0-2 (1f) , E Lynn 0-1, E Bradley 0-1, L McGoldrick 0-1, C Bradley 0-1.

Tipperary: E Comerford; C O'Shaughnessy, A Campbell, C McDonald; B Maher, R Kiely, J Feehin; P Acheson, G Hannigan; J Keane, K O'Halloran, B Fox; P Austin, M Quinlivan, C Sweeney.

Subs: A Maloney for Hannigan (HT), S Leahy for Kiely (67), M Hanley for O'Shaughnessy (70).

Derry: T Mallon; O Duffy, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; C McFaul, B Rogers, C Mullan; C McAtamney, N Holly; D Heavron, N Loughlin, E Lynn; J Kielt, E McGuckin, M Lynch.

Subs: N Toner for Lynn (43), C Bradley for Kielt (45), E Bradley for Holly (52), L McGoldrick for Duffy (56), E Brown for McGuckin (62), N Forrester for Hearvon (70).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo).