WITH KILKENNY ALREADY assured of their whereabouts on the first Sunday of September – in Croke Park, as they have been for the last four deciders – this week the attention turns south with Waterford and Tipperary doing battle in the second semi-final.
Both will be seeking a measure of revenge. For Tipperary a victory would set up a repeat of last year’s spellbinding All-Ireland final in which the Premier held Kilkenny point-for-point until a questionable penalty decision ten minutes from time gave Kilkenny the chance to get their noses in front and remain there.
For Waterford, their own All-Ireland story was a slightly less evenly-matched one. Some of the Déise’s more longstanding soldiers – the likes of Eoin Kelly, Ken McGrath and John Mullane, for example – don’t feel like they’ve played in an All-Ireland final.
The reason, of course, is that although they showed up for the 2008 decider, they didn’t really play – or rather, they weren’t given a chance. In probably the greatest display of hurling ever, Kilkenny put 3-30 past the Déise, who themselves could only muster 1-13. Such was Kilkenny’s dominance – they shot, amazingly, just three wides – that Kilkenny’s manager Brian Cody was given the Man of the Match award.
Unbeaten side starts as underdog
Of course, the sides first have to deal with each other, and Sunday’s game looks set to be a contest more akin to Tipperary’s final than Waterford’s, with two strong sides both desperate for another shot at hurling’s biggest occasion.
Waterford, despite being unbeaten for the summer so far, go in as underdogs for Sunday’s game. Having stuttered up front against Clare and needing two attempts to beat Cork in the Munster final, it’s generally held that Waterford will struggle to find the firepower they’ll need to put a sufficient score on the board.
Tipperary, on the other hand, have momentum on their side. Despite having taken the long way back around to Croke Park – going out of Munster at the first hurdle to the same Cork who left Croker with their tails firmly hanging between their legs last week – Tipperary have found their form on the road, culminating in an awesome late finish to get past a gallant Galway in the quarter-finals.
Their own Eoin Kelly is in better form up front than his Waterford namesake, and with the likes of Lar Corbett on fire, Shane McGrath back in midfield and Conor O’Mahony a rock in defence, Tipp would appear to have a little more balance.
Realistically few people can see Waterford remaining unbeaten for the season – despite there only being three teams left, they’re still a massive 16/1 to lift the Liam MacCarthy – so even if the Déise were to win on Sunday, their chances of seeking revenge for the 2008 mauling seem slimmer.
Tipperary, if they can only scrape by, may also be seen as lambs to the slaughter. It would do hurling much good if Tipperary were to win, and win well – or else Kilkenny may as well be given Liam now to save everyone the bother of showing up on September 5.
In the minor semi-final, a sprightly Dublin side take on Clare for the right to flirt with Kilkenny’s underage crop in what could well be a similarly one-sided final.
GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship: Semi Final – Tipperary v Waterford, Sunday 3:30pm, Croke Park
GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship: Semi Final – Dublin v Clare, Sunday 1:30pm, Croke Park
