Afternoon all, dust settling on a big victory for Wexford in the Allianz Football League Division 4 final but now time to draw breath as Tipperary prepare to take on Louth in the Division 3 decider. Jackie Cahill here taking you through Tipp v Louth at Croke Park.

First League title in nine years for Westmeath this afternoon. They overcame Wexford in the Division 4 final, you can check out our report by clicking here. 

No late changes to report on the Louth and Tipperary teams.

Here’s how Louth will line out:

Louth

1. Craig Lynch (Naomh Mairtin)

2. Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)
3. Patrick Reilly (Naomh Mairtin)
4. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots)

5. Derek Maguire (Dundalk Young Ireland’s)
6. John Bingham (Ardee St Mary’s)
7. James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)

8. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)
9. Andy McDonnell (Newtown Blues)

10. Declan Byrne (St Mochta’s)
11. Pauric Smith (Dreadnots)
12. Bevan Duffy (St Fechin’s)

13. Adrian Reid (Mattock Rangers – captain)
14. Eoin O’Connor (St Patrick’s)
15. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)

And here’s the Tipperary starting XV

Tipperary

1. Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

2. Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers)
3. Paddy Codd (Killenaule)
4. Willie Connors (Kiladangan)

5. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
6. Robbie Kiely (Carbery Rangers)
7. Shane O’Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle)

8. Liam Casey (Cahir)
9. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)

10. Josh Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle)
11. Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe)
12. Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill – captain)

13. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
14. Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials)
15. Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch)

We’re underway at Croke Park on a glorious evening.

Louth 0-1 Tipperary 0-0

Andy McDonnell opens the scoring with a Louth point.

Louth 0-2 Tipperary 0-0

A second point for L0uth, Bevan Duffy with this one. Good start from the Wee County.

Louth 0-3 Tipperary 0-0

Pauric Smith pops over a Louth point and they lead by three.

Louth 0-3 Tipperary 0-1

Conor Sweeney opens Tipperary’s account from a close-in free.

Louth 0-3 Tipperary 0-2

Liam Casey with a fine point and Tipperary back within one.

Oooohhh! Close as Michael Quinlivan pulls a left-footed shot just wide, Tipperary close to the opening goal there.

Louth 0-4 Tipperary 0-2

Ryan Burns taps over a free for Louth.

Louth 0-5 Tipperary 0-2

Louth  having the better of it so far and Tommy Durnin’s point stretches the lead back to three again.

Louth 0-5 Tipperary 0-3

All-Star Michael Quinlivan on target with a Tipperary free.

Louth 0-6 Tipperary 0-3

Lead back out to three again as Tommy Durnin collects his second point for Louth.

Concern for Tipperary as captain Brian Fox is receiving treatment at the Davin End of Croke Park.

Fox is good to continue as goalkeeper Evan Comerford restarts play.

Both teams doing well on their own kick-outs, nice variation there from Comerford, who, after a few short ones, picked out a blue and gold colleague in midfield.

Louth 0-6 Tipperary 0-4

Tipp back to within two points as Kevin O’Halloran puts over a good free.

Quinlivan with an uncharacteristic miss, pulling a free wide at the Hill 16 end.

HawkEye called into play to rule a Louth effort wide.

Official attendance of 5,823 here in Croke Park, that’s a disappointing figure.

Louth 0-7 Tipperary 0-4

Eoin O’Connor curls over a beauty from the Hogan Stand side for Louth.

Louth 0-7 Tipperary 0-5

Conor Sweeney responds with a Tipp point.

Louth 0-7 Tipperary 0-6

Tipp now cut the gap back to just a point, O’Halloran with another long-range free.

Louth 0-7 Tipperary 0-8

Tipp hit the front! For the first time in the game, a team (Louth) loses a kick-out, and Tipp profit through Jack Kennedy. Louth loose on their own restart again and Conor Sweeney pounces. Tipp lead for the first time.

GOAL for Tipperary!

Louth 0-7 Tipperary 1-9

Tipperary have taken over and it’s Liam Casey with the goal. Conor Sweeney’s precise handpass picked out the midfielder who finished superbly. Alan Campbell adds a Tipp point.

Yellow card for Tipperary’s skipper, Brian Fox.

Louth 0-8 Tipperary 1-9

Important score as Ryan Burns puts over a Louth free. Tipp had collected 1-5 without reply before that.

Louth 0-8 Tipperary 1-10

This game has turned on its head. Conor Sweeney’s free puts Tipp five points clear.

Two minutes of additional time to be played at the end of the first half here.

Louth 0-9 Tipperary 1-10

Lovely point from Derek Maguire to keep Louth in touch.

Half-time: Tipperary 1-11 Louth 0-9

Excellent spell of football from Tipperary, yielding 1-5 without reply, has helped them to lead by five points at the break. We’ll be back in plenty of time for the second half.

Second half underway here and Louth have made a change, Kurt Murphy coming on for Patrick Reilly in defence.

Louth 0-10 Tipperary 1-11

And Louth hit the opening score of the second half, Declan Byrne on target. There’s a significant breeze with the Wee County, incidentally.

Louth 0-11 Tipperary 1-12

Robbie Kiely with a long range special for Tipp, with Ryan Burns responding for Louth.

Louth 0-12 Tipperary 1-12

Game on as Tommy Durnin makes it a three point game, with his third score.

Louth 0-13 Tipperary 1-12

Ryan Burns with another point, his fourth of the day and third free, to cut the margin back to just two.

Correction on an earlier post, Tommy Durnin has two points for Louth, not three. Good spread of scorers on the Louth team, and they’re still very much in this.

Louth 0-13 Tipperary 1-13

And that is a second point for Tipperary midfielder, Jack Kennedy.

Louth 0-13 Tipperary 1-14

Kevin O’Halloran with a sweet point from play for Tipperary.

Louth 0-13 Tipperary 1-15

Brilliant free from Michael Quinlivan, tight on the Cusack Stand sideline and over the crossbar.

Louth 0-14 Tipperary 1-15

And now Tommy Durnin does have his third point, excellent score as he holds off Tipperary defenders before shooting over.

GOAL for Tipperary!

Louth 0-14 Tipperary 2-15

Sweeney and O’Halloran threaten initially and after Bevan Duffy is turned over, Sweeney shoots low past Craig Lynch.

Seven points is Tipp’s biggest lead of the game to date, and it’s a long way back for Louth now.

Louth 0-15 Tipperary 2-15

Ryan Burns with a free for Louth.

Louth 0-15 Tipperary 2-16

Conor Sweeney ends a six-minute wait for a score with a pointed free for Tipperary, who lead by seven.

Louth 0-16 Tipperary 2-16

Jim McEneaney with a free for Louth, who are back to within two scores. Goals needed though!

Louth 0-17 Tipperary 2-16

Another free for McEneaney.

Louth 0-18 Tipperary 2-16

There might be life in this yet, as Declan Byrne crashes over a long-range free from his hands.

Louth 0-18 Tipperary 2-17

Big points from Josh Keane, two minutes plus stoppage time to go here.

Louth 0-19 Tipperary 2-17

Another free for Jim McEneaney.

Referee Anthony Nolan has signalled for 6 minutes of stoppage time. Nobody’s quite sure where he’s got that from.

Louth 0-19 Tipperary 2-18

Liam McGrath, captain here in 2011 when Tipperary won the All-Ireland minor title, comes off the bench to kick a point.

Louth 0-19 Tipperary 2-19

Another sub on target for Tipperary, Liam Boland this time.

Two minutes of additional time to be played here.

Tipp closing this one out with minimum fuss, good win for the Premier County. Michael Quinlivan has been named as man-of-the-match.

Result: Tipperary 3-19 Louth 0-19 

Icing on the cake late on as Conor Sweeney, with all the room in the world, takes a pass from Liam McGrath, walks around a defender and beats Craig Lynch for his second goal. That’s 2-5 for Sweeney on the day, and silverware in the bag for Tipperary.

That’s it from me from GAA HQ, stay with us for a match report from this evening’s clash.