For all their progress, Sunday afternoon seemed disappointingly familiar to a 2010 rerun for Tipperary.

Walking into Semple Stadium you are reminded you are now entering the ‘Home of Hurling’ but after the underage football success of Tipperary in recent years and a first outing of the year for the defending All-Ireland Champions, yesterday’s crowd was more akin to a Munster hurling clash than football and required the old stand to be opened and the throw-in delayed 15 minutes.

Never beaten by Kerry. It’s not a personal record Steven O’Brien is singing from the rooftops ahead of facing the All-Ireland champions on Sunday, but it’s a clear indication of Tipperary’s fortunes in underage football.