Tipperary 0-18 Louth 1-11:TIPPERARY STAGED a great recovery to clinch promotion to Division Two when coming from six points down to defeat Louth by four points at Semple Stadium in Thurles yesterday.

Louth dominated early on and a goal by Darren Clarke in the 23rd minute followed by an Adrian Reid point put the visitors 1-5 to 0-2 in front after 24 minutes.

Tipp settled and three points before half-time had them back in the game but trailing 0-5 to 1-5.

Tipperary took control in the second half and after 45 minutes Barry Grogan’ point from a free put them level (0-11 to 1-8). A minute later, sub Darren O’Brien put them ahead and though Louth twice drew level subsequently there was no stopping Tipperary.

Tipp had key performers in Brian Coen, Grogan, George Hannigan, Ciaran McDonald and sub, O’Brien and in the last 12 minutes the home team landed five points to Louth’s one.

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; M Phelan, C McDonald, A Morrissey; C Morrissey, H Coghlan, C Higgins; G Hannigan (0-1), E Hanrahan; S Murphy, N Fitzgerald (0-1), B Mulvihill (0-1); J Tierney, B Coen (0-4), B Grogan (0-8, five frees). Subs: D O’Brien (0-3) for Murphy, K Mulryan for Hanrahan, I Barnes for Fitzgerald, B Fox for Tierney, L Coskeran for Mulvihill.

LOUTH: S Reynolds; D Finnegan, P McGinnity, J O’Brien; R Finnegan, P Rath, G Hoey; R Carroll (0-2), B White; A Reid, P Keenan, D Crilly (0-1); D Reid (0-1), JP Rooney, D Clarke (1-5, four frees).

Subs: S Lennon (0-2) for A Reid, C Judge for Rooney, M Fanning for Hoey.

Referee: J Bannon (Longford).