TEAMS REQUIRE DIFFERENT things, depending on where they are in their life cycle.
When Tipperary started out in the 2025 league, their mood was on the floor after the previous summer’s Munster championship had battered their confidence.
They got the type of victory they needed that day in Salthill, impressing with their 12-point dismissal of the home team. Afterwards Liam Cahill struck a defiant tone, stressing the need for patience with a developing team and expressing his clarity of thought on the direction they needed to travel.
That was the first step on a road to rehabilitation that reached an extraordinary conclusion with the manner of their All-Ireland success last July.
The stunning second-half destruction of Cork was the backdrop as they commenced 2026 activity on Saturday night. Galway again the opposition, a league opener again the competitive setting, a win for Tipperary again the outcome.
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It was achieved in different circumstances though. All the more pleasing for Tipperary that it was liked that. When you wear the label of Liam MacCarthy Cup holders, it alters the tone at the start of a season. There to be knocked down, no longer flying under the radar.
On a rotten night for hurling, Tipperary found themselves deadlocked at 0-9 apiece at the break and then conceded a goal five minutes into the second half, Rory Burke finding a gap inside the post, a reward for his ambition in attempting to raise a green flag and for the team in constructing a well-worked move.
The response to this late January test will be welcomed by Cahill. Tipperary found the necessary run of scores to get them over the line. Darragh Stakelum jumped off the bench to bang home a vital goal. Séámus Kennedy displayed the wristwork and experience to strike over a fine point late on.
Above all Jake Morris underlined the stirring form last season that brought him into Hurler of the Year nomination territory, finishing with 0-8 to his name, taking on the free-taking duties when Darragh McCarthy went off, and generally providing a level of influence that Galway couldn’t quite stifle.
Jake Morris celebrates a score with Conor Stakelum. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Galway are in a different place. Optimism is in scarce supply given the tame displays they put up in the defeats to Kilkenny and Tipperary that rounded off their 2025 championship.
David Burke’s towering influence across their midfield, a reassuring presence for 16 years, has been remove after his retirement a week before Christmas. That reinforced the sense of a shift in Micheal Donoghue’s second coming as Galway boss. He still possesses stalwarts like Daithi Burke in defence and Cathal Mannion off the bench that he utilised on Saturday night, but after surveying his options last season, there have been signs of a transition being accelerated for year two.
Darren Morrissey was installed as team captain ten days ago, Gavin Lee announced as his deputy. The loss of Morrissey after only four minutes through injury on Saturday night was a personnel setback Donoghue wanted to avoid, but otherwise he got plenty in Saturday’s performance to give his setup a boost.
With only two starters from the corresponding fixture twelve months ago – Rory Burke and Tom Monaghan – Donoghue had ripped up the script in terms of selection.
Amidst the array of changes, the attacking make-up caught the eye. Burke captained the Galway U20s last season and stepped forward as a leader on Saturday night with a tally of 1-3 from play.
Inside there were spots for Jason Rabbitte and Aaron Niland, a pair of precocious talents graduating from contesting the Croke Cup final on St Patrick’s Day last in Presentation Athenry colours to starting in the bigtime for Galway’s premier team.
Niland pointed two frees, while Rabbitte was more impactful in open play as he fired over two stylish points. The pair almost combined for a goal in the opening period but as Niland prepared to unleash a shot, Tipperary defender Cathal O’Reilly got back to brilliantly flick the ball away.
O’Reilly demonstrated that the newcomers were not only playing on the Galway side. Tipperary mixed their team with the solidity of All-Ireland winners and the novelty of emerging talents.
They had 10 of the side that swept to Liam MacCarthy glory last July, but O’Reilly and forward Jack Leamy were handed debuts, while Josh Keller, Paddy McCormack, and Stefan Tobin were other fresh faces brought in off the bench. The picking of such talent was befitting of a county that have collected three All-Ireland titles across the minor and U20 grades since 2022.
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The bar is set high given the subsequent impact made by the likes of Robert Doyle, Sam O’Farrell, and Darragh McCarthy after they played against Galway last January. Cahill praised his county board afterwards for their support that enabled him to select a 43-player strong panel for the league and he plans to go deep into the squad to give players gametime.
7,762 were present in Thurles on Saturday night, a decent turnout considering the weather conditions and live coverage on RTÉ would have tempted plenty to watch from home.
Galway afforded Tipperary a guard of honour beforehand and then dispensed with the pleasantries as they wired into the team that are the current benchmark. Running them to five points gives Galway a building block in defeat, something to be enthused about given the persistent picture of uncertainty surrounding their prospects.
For Tipperary this represents the type of early examination they wanted. Two league points deposited and a trip to Tullamore awaits next Sunday.
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Tipperary pleased to emerge from homecoming test, Galway get some hope amidst reset
TEAMS REQUIRE DIFFERENT things, depending on where they are in their life cycle.
When Tipperary started out in the 2025 league, their mood was on the floor after the previous summer’s Munster championship had battered their confidence.
They got the type of victory they needed that day in Salthill, impressing with their 12-point dismissal of the home team. Afterwards Liam Cahill struck a defiant tone, stressing the need for patience with a developing team and expressing his clarity of thought on the direction they needed to travel.
That was the first step on a road to rehabilitation that reached an extraordinary conclusion with the manner of their All-Ireland success last July.
The stunning second-half destruction of Cork was the backdrop as they commenced 2026 activity on Saturday night. Galway again the opposition, a league opener again the competitive setting, a win for Tipperary again the outcome.
It was achieved in different circumstances though. All the more pleasing for Tipperary that it was liked that. When you wear the label of Liam MacCarthy Cup holders, it alters the tone at the start of a season. There to be knocked down, no longer flying under the radar.
On a rotten night for hurling, Tipperary found themselves deadlocked at 0-9 apiece at the break and then conceded a goal five minutes into the second half, Rory Burke finding a gap inside the post, a reward for his ambition in attempting to raise a green flag and for the team in constructing a well-worked move.
The response to this late January test will be welcomed by Cahill. Tipperary found the necessary run of scores to get them over the line. Darragh Stakelum jumped off the bench to bang home a vital goal. Séámus Kennedy displayed the wristwork and experience to strike over a fine point late on.
Above all Jake Morris underlined the stirring form last season that brought him into Hurler of the Year nomination territory, finishing with 0-8 to his name, taking on the free-taking duties when Darragh McCarthy went off, and generally providing a level of influence that Galway couldn’t quite stifle.
Galway are in a different place. Optimism is in scarce supply given the tame displays they put up in the defeats to Kilkenny and Tipperary that rounded off their 2025 championship.
David Burke’s towering influence across their midfield, a reassuring presence for 16 years, has been remove after his retirement a week before Christmas. That reinforced the sense of a shift in Micheal Donoghue’s second coming as Galway boss. He still possesses stalwarts like Daithi Burke in defence and Cathal Mannion off the bench that he utilised on Saturday night, but after surveying his options last season, there have been signs of a transition being accelerated for year two.
Darren Morrissey was installed as team captain ten days ago, Gavin Lee announced as his deputy. The loss of Morrissey after only four minutes through injury on Saturday night was a personnel setback Donoghue wanted to avoid, but otherwise he got plenty in Saturday’s performance to give his setup a boost.
With only two starters from the corresponding fixture twelve months ago – Rory Burke and Tom Monaghan – Donoghue had ripped up the script in terms of selection.
Amidst the array of changes, the attacking make-up caught the eye. Burke captained the Galway U20s last season and stepped forward as a leader on Saturday night with a tally of 1-3 from play.
Inside there were spots for Jason Rabbitte and Aaron Niland, a pair of precocious talents graduating from contesting the Croke Cup final on St Patrick’s Day last in Presentation Athenry colours to starting in the bigtime for Galway’s premier team.
Niland pointed two frees, while Rabbitte was more impactful in open play as he fired over two stylish points. The pair almost combined for a goal in the opening period but as Niland prepared to unleash a shot, Tipperary defender Cathal O’Reilly got back to brilliantly flick the ball away.
O’Reilly demonstrated that the newcomers were not only playing on the Galway side. Tipperary mixed their team with the solidity of All-Ireland winners and the novelty of emerging talents.
They had 10 of the side that swept to Liam MacCarthy glory last July, but O’Reilly and forward Jack Leamy were handed debuts, while Josh Keller, Paddy McCormack, and Stefan Tobin were other fresh faces brought in off the bench. The picking of such talent was befitting of a county that have collected three All-Ireland titles across the minor and U20 grades since 2022.
The bar is set high given the subsequent impact made by the likes of Robert Doyle, Sam O’Farrell, and Darragh McCarthy after they played against Galway last January. Cahill praised his county board afterwards for their support that enabled him to select a 43-player strong panel for the league and he plans to go deep into the squad to give players gametime.
7,762 were present in Thurles on Saturday night, a decent turnout considering the weather conditions and live coverage on RTÉ would have tempted plenty to watch from home.
Galway afforded Tipperary a guard of honour beforehand and then dispensed with the pleasantries as they wired into the team that are the current benchmark. Running them to five points gives Galway a building block in defeat, something to be enthused about given the persistent picture of uncertainty surrounding their prospects.
For Tipperary this represents the type of early examination they wanted. Two league points deposited and a trip to Tullamore awaits next Sunday.
*****
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GAA Galway Hurling Opening Night Tipperary