1. Falling short against Kilkenny again
It’s a pattern that will frustrate and depress Tipperary hurling folk. Eamon O’Shea took over as Tipperary boss at the start of last season on the back of the Premier’s 2012 All-Ireland semi-final disaster against Kilkenny. Since then O’Shea has seen Tipperary lose two league finals, an All-Ireland qualifier and today’s All-Ireland final replay to the stripey men from Noreside.
Tipperary have contributed richly to a series of pulsating and spellbinding encounters against Kilkenny over the past two years. They came desperately close to toppling them on September 7th when John O’Dwyer’s last-gasp free drifted wide. But ultimately success has eluded them and their losing streak against Kilkenny continued today.
2. No joy from penalty
Penalties have been under the microscope in hurling all season and the new rule was brought in to sharp focus after the drawn final when Tipperary’s two penalties yielded no return. Once more today Tipperary were awarded a penalty in the second-half with Seamus Callanan lining up the shot after Bonner Maher was fouled.
The message looked to have been communicated to Callanan from the line to be content with the point and he tapped over the score. It cut Kilkenny’s lead to 0-15 to 1-11 but the decision at a critical stage to go for a point rather than attempt to grab a goal, provided further illustration of the dilemma the new penalty rule has created.
3. Attacking contrast from drawn game
The drawn match contained a phenomenal scoring display by Tipperary as they raised 28 white flags and hit the net through Bonner Maher. The point scoring of John O’Dwyer, Lar Corbett, Seamus Callanan and Noel McGrath was a shining feature of Tipperary’s play as that quartet chalked up 0-16 from play in that game.
But today’s replay was a far more difficult affair for Tipperary’s forward line. Space was restricted as they collided with a ferociously resolute Kilkenny rearguard. That aforementioned quartet only raised four white flags from play while O’Dwyer, Corbett and McGrath were all substituted. It was a notably different outing for the Tipperary forward line.
4. No fillip from first goal
The first-half was a tight and tense affair but Tipperary looked to have notched a game breaking score when Bonner Maher broke through to feed Callanan for a 28th-minute goal. That pushed Tipperary into a 1-5 to 0-6 lead and they maintained that two-point advantage at the interval.
But in truth Tipperary did not get a huge fillip from that first goal as they could not push on after the interval. Kilkenny notched the first five points of the second-half to forge a lead that they would never subsequently relinquish. Tipperary’s celebrated vociferously when Callanan hit the net in front of Hill 16 yet it did prove to be the launchpad for greater things for the Premier.
5. Callanan shows his goal scoring instincts
It’ll be of scant consolation for Seamus Callanan given the end result for his team but on a personal note, he maintained the brilliant goal scoring form that has characterised his 2014 championship campaign. Today he showed his opportunism and alertness to bag a goal from play in either half.
The goals added to the hat-trick Callanan hit against Galway and the braces he weighed in with against Offaly and Cork. Callanan’s goalscoring blast didn’t help engineer the outcome to the game he wanted but he did maintain his trend of high-level scoring returns.
