Rebels focused on own agenda, says Naughton

First, though, he and his colleagues had to flush the Kilkenny defeat in the league final out of their system. The Cats handed out a hammering in that game and Naughton is frank in describing it.

“We were very disappointed with the Kilkenny game, our performance just wasn’t good enough on the day. The first 20 minutes, we were just blown out of it by Kilkenny. They’ve set the tone over the last few years along with Tipperary and that’s the level we’ve to get to. Since then, though, the preparations have been good. Training’s been enjoyable and we’re looking forward to Tipperary.”

Naughton missed that game through injury but is now fully recovered. He’s likely to be joined Sunday on the team by some newcomers, young players who may not be that familiar to Tipperary.

That’s the Premier County’s problem, says Naughton. “Cork are focused on themselves alone. You’dalways concentrate on your own game and we’ll be focused on ourselves,” says the Newtownshandrum clubman.

“Tipp have been very good in the last few years and we’re probably a level or two behind them and Kilkenny. But we’re trying to get up there and the newer lads — the lads on the team and in the subs — are all part of that work.”

They could have done with a championship game to prepare themselves. Tipp overcame a strongLimerick challenge in their first-round game, and that match is likely to help them.

“It’s definitely an advantage to them coming into our game that they’ve played a match,” says Naughton, who works for Christy’s Wines and Spirits in Little Island.

“That was a good hard game they had against Limerick. Limerick are a good side and could have won that one, but Tipp pulled it out even though they weren’t going that well for a lot of the match.”

True enough, but the consensus afterwards was that the strength of the Tipp bench made the difference in the last quarter. Naughton is inclined to agree.

“They made some good substitutions during the game, and the last 15 to 20 minutes they were able to push on and win it. That shows you just how good Tipperary are — when the game was in the melting pot the Tipp lads were well able to answer the call.

“That’ll stand to them. It gave them a chance to look at who was going well and who wasn’t and to make the changes that they needed to.Unfortunately we haven’t had that, but that doesn’t mean we’re not looking forward to Sunday.”