Before 4pm yesterday in Thurles, nobody fully knew where Tipperary stood. The league had offered the wider public some clues but not enough compelling evidence to form an opinion they could trust. Inside the camp they had greater insight as to how they were motoring yet the stress test was always going to come in the heat of the Munster championship.
They didn’t pass the assignment. The final whistle saw Tipperary four points in arrears, the margin of defeat a testament to their resilience in fighting to the finish and chipping away at some of the deficit they faced.
Nine points down to Cork with ten minutes to go, the scoreboard threatened to get ugly for Tipperary. That it didn’t could prove significant when the final table settles out in Munster. That gives Tipperary something to cling to from this game, the overall game provides greater clarity now as to where they stand.
“Our first real pitch of high-intensity championship hurling,” outlined Liam Cahill afterwards.
“You can see definitely the way Cork, the league final hasn’t done them any harm in relation to their preparation. During that middle area of the second half, they really had the upper hand. When they’re moving well, they’re a really hard outfit to stop. When you’re putting out one fire, another one appears somewhere else, and that’s what good teams do.”
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Tipperary hurling manager Liam Cahill. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Firefighting
The firefighting required by Tipperary didn’t work as the second half unfolded. The game slipped away from them during the third quarter and was gone heading down the stretch. Tipperary lost the turnover count 18-10 in the 30 minutes of action after the break and shipped 0-17 overall in turnovers throughout the game.
That reflected a strange kind of listlessness in their performance when the second half commenced. After a slow start, Tipperary steadied to produce their best phase midway through the first half. But they were outscored 0-5 to 0-2 in the ten minutes leading up to half-time, and lost the period between the 43rd and 59th minutes by 0-8 to 0-0. Those spells determined the outcome.
When a team struggles, weird mistakes can spread around the side. Michael Breen charged out of defence in one second-half instance, caught the ball three times and Cork nailed the resultant free to go six up. Willie Connors fired a sideline back out of play on the Kinane Stand side on another occasion.
Tipperary's Michael Breen. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Tipperary’s attacking output was a microcosm of their difficulties. Rewind to twelve months ago against Limerick and that opening day set the tone for a brilliant blue and gold summer. The nerve of Darragh McCarthy to nail the free, his eighth point of that game, the goalscoring instincts of John McGrath yielding two terrific strikes, and Jake Morris weaving his magic to land four points. This was a more difficult opening for all three. McCarthy didn’t start as Cahill revealed a shoulder issue had curbed his preparations. McGrath was largely tied up by Ciaran Joyce’s aggressive defending. Morris was unusually inaccurate as he posted three wides and two points in the first half.
Cahill was not slow to shake things up in an attempt to inject urgency into his team. He had made five substitutions by the 58th minute before Cork had even made one. Tipperary’s starting full-forward line were all benched by the start of the third quarter.
“We just felt that our inside forward line today struggled for periods and, again, it was just trying to get a bit of energy and a bit of zip into that six up front to see can we create something.”
Darragh McCarthy in action for Tipperary against Cork's Niall O'Leary. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Forward Unit
By the final whistle, Tipperary’s starting forward unit had supplied 0-5 from play in contrast to the 0-20 tally from their Cork counterparts. Collectively, Tipperary unleashed 17 shots from play in contrast to Cork’s 31. Compared to last summer’s dazzling form, this was an offensive malfunction. Their only clear sight of goal was when Alan Tynan’s shot squirmed inside the left upright in the 71st minute, but it was too late to chart a different course for the outcome.
Tipperary’s home record in the Munster round-robin era is striking: three wins recorded from 13 games. Cahill made the reasonable point afterwards that Semple Stadium is not exactly an unforgiving venue that other teams dread coming to, such is the way they have grown accustomed to the environs.
But the upshot of this is that the pressure and stakes are considerably raised now for the reigning All-Ireland champions. The conversation that has stalked successful Tipperary teams for the last six decades about doing back-to-back doesn’t feel as relevant right now. The more pressing question is whether Tipperary can change a trend where they haven’t featured in the Munster top three two years in a row, since the group format began in 2018.
Brian Hayes of Cork is tackled by Willie Connors of Tipperary. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Fixtures
When the fixtures were released for this year, Tipperary’s season boiled down to two distinct windows: the seven-day period that started yesterday encompassing the home tie with Cork and the away trip to Waterford, and the eight-day period from Saturday 16 May at home to Clare and the Sunday 24 May journey to play Limerick.
For all their shortcomings yesterday, the talent in their setup is too obvious to ignore, and last year saw them lodge huge credit in the bank. But the need for a swift response is glaring.
It brings to mind a comment from Brian Hayes last year when asked after Cork’s win over Waterford how they had compartmentalised the whipping they sustained the week before at the hands of Limerick. Hayes stated the quick turnaround afforded no time to dwell on defeat, the upcoming examination consumed all their thoughts.
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Same scenario for Tipperary.
“We’re going to do our best now to give them something to go after in this championship,” was Cahill’s callout to the Tipperary support after.
“We’ll stay fighting, stay battling, stay rolling up our sleeves. It’s only day one and there’s plenty more points to play for.
“We’ll have to have a real look at it and fix a few little things that popped up today and go to Walsh Park with a real pep in our step now, because we have to. It’s a huge game for both sides.”
After all the uncertainty surrounding Tipperary’s state of being, the theme of back on track or facing jeopardy will be attached to them after next Sunday.
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'We'll stay fighting': Tipperary's urgent need for response after struggles in Cork loss
IN A VACUUM of information, uncertainty thrives.
Before 4pm yesterday in Thurles, nobody fully knew where Tipperary stood. The league had offered the wider public some clues but not enough compelling evidence to form an opinion they could trust. Inside the camp they had greater insight as to how they were motoring yet the stress test was always going to come in the heat of the Munster championship.
They didn’t pass the assignment. The final whistle saw Tipperary four points in arrears, the margin of defeat a testament to their resilience in fighting to the finish and chipping away at some of the deficit they faced.
Nine points down to Cork with ten minutes to go, the scoreboard threatened to get ugly for Tipperary. That it didn’t could prove significant when the final table settles out in Munster. That gives Tipperary something to cling to from this game, the overall game provides greater clarity now as to where they stand.
“Our first real pitch of high-intensity championship hurling,” outlined Liam Cahill afterwards.
“You can see definitely the way Cork, the league final hasn’t done them any harm in relation to their preparation. During that middle area of the second half, they really had the upper hand. When they’re moving well, they’re a really hard outfit to stop. When you’re putting out one fire, another one appears somewhere else, and that’s what good teams do.”
Firefighting
The firefighting required by Tipperary didn’t work as the second half unfolded. The game slipped away from them during the third quarter and was gone heading down the stretch. Tipperary lost the turnover count 18-10 in the 30 minutes of action after the break and shipped 0-17 overall in turnovers throughout the game.
That reflected a strange kind of listlessness in their performance when the second half commenced. After a slow start, Tipperary steadied to produce their best phase midway through the first half. But they were outscored 0-5 to 0-2 in the ten minutes leading up to half-time, and lost the period between the 43rd and 59th minutes by 0-8 to 0-0. Those spells determined the outcome.
When a team struggles, weird mistakes can spread around the side. Michael Breen charged out of defence in one second-half instance, caught the ball three times and Cork nailed the resultant free to go six up. Willie Connors fired a sideline back out of play on the Kinane Stand side on another occasion.
Tipperary’s attacking output was a microcosm of their difficulties. Rewind to twelve months ago against Limerick and that opening day set the tone for a brilliant blue and gold summer. The nerve of Darragh McCarthy to nail the free, his eighth point of that game, the goalscoring instincts of John McGrath yielding two terrific strikes, and Jake Morris weaving his magic to land four points. This was a more difficult opening for all three. McCarthy didn’t start as Cahill revealed a shoulder issue had curbed his preparations. McGrath was largely tied up by Ciaran Joyce’s aggressive defending. Morris was unusually inaccurate as he posted three wides and two points in the first half.
Cahill was not slow to shake things up in an attempt to inject urgency into his team. He had made five substitutions by the 58th minute before Cork had even made one. Tipperary’s starting full-forward line were all benched by the start of the third quarter.
“We just felt that our inside forward line today struggled for periods and, again, it was just trying to get a bit of energy and a bit of zip into that six up front to see can we create something.”
Forward Unit
By the final whistle, Tipperary’s starting forward unit had supplied 0-5 from play in contrast to the 0-20 tally from their Cork counterparts. Collectively, Tipperary unleashed 17 shots from play in contrast to Cork’s 31. Compared to last summer’s dazzling form, this was an offensive malfunction. Their only clear sight of goal was when Alan Tynan’s shot squirmed inside the left upright in the 71st minute, but it was too late to chart a different course for the outcome.
Tipperary’s home record in the Munster round-robin era is striking: three wins recorded from 13 games. Cahill made the reasonable point afterwards that Semple Stadium is not exactly an unforgiving venue that other teams dread coming to, such is the way they have grown accustomed to the environs.
But the upshot of this is that the pressure and stakes are considerably raised now for the reigning All-Ireland champions. The conversation that has stalked successful Tipperary teams for the last six decades about doing back-to-back doesn’t feel as relevant right now. The more pressing question is whether Tipperary can change a trend where they haven’t featured in the Munster top three two years in a row, since the group format began in 2018.
Fixtures
When the fixtures were released for this year, Tipperary’s season boiled down to two distinct windows: the seven-day period that started yesterday encompassing the home tie with Cork and the away trip to Waterford, and the eight-day period from Saturday 16 May at home to Clare and the Sunday 24 May journey to play Limerick.
For all their shortcomings yesterday, the talent in their setup is too obvious to ignore, and last year saw them lodge huge credit in the bank. But the need for a swift response is glaring.
It brings to mind a comment from Brian Hayes last year when asked after Cork’s win over Waterford how they had compartmentalised the whipping they sustained the week before at the hands of Limerick. Hayes stated the quick turnaround afforded no time to dwell on defeat, the upcoming examination consumed all their thoughts.
Same scenario for Tipperary.
“We’re going to do our best now to give them something to go after in this championship,” was Cahill’s callout to the Tipperary support after.
“We’ll stay fighting, stay battling, stay rolling up our sleeves. It’s only day one and there’s plenty more points to play for.
“We’ll have to have a real look at it and fix a few little things that popped up today and go to Walsh Park with a real pep in our step now, because we have to. It’s a huge game for both sides.”
After all the uncertainty surrounding Tipperary’s state of being, the theme of back on track or facing jeopardy will be attached to them after next Sunday.
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Cork GAA Hurling Munster Round Robin Tipperary