What’s gone wrong in Limerick?
Well, they’re wrong, because, after a massacre like we saw in Croke Park in this All-Ireland semi-final, there’s lots to be said.
The first thing I want to talk about is Tipperary, especially the management team of Liam Sheedy, Michael Ryan and Eamonn O’Shea. They came to Croke Park last year for another All-Ireland semi-final, got caught against Waterford – and I mean ‘got caught’, because if they had been properly focused, Tipp would have won that match – and they learned their lesson. In typical Tipperary fashion they took the loss on the chin, no complaints, but this year they were ready.
Mentally and physically they were right, tuned in, ready for a battle. And in the first 15 minutes or so, believe it or not, it was a battle, but Tipperary took everything Limerick had to throw at them, and then, ruthlessly throttled them, showing no mercy. It started with their defence, the full-back line especially of Paul Curran, Paraic Maher and – most especially – Paddy Stapleton.
These three were outstanding, set the trend, and the half-backs continued it. Declan Fanning was superb on one wing as was Brendan Maher on the other. They gave fantastic support to Conor O’Mahony in the centre. I said on Saturday I was surprised to see Paraic Maher at full-back, but I also added maybe Liam Sheedy and his management team were seeing something in training to which we weren’t privy. I now know they were. It was only a few years ago Paraic was man-of-the-match at full-back against Galway in the All-Ireland final, on Joe Canning. Obviously he continued on from there.
Where the real damage was done by Tipperary yesterday, however, was in the forwards, and early on, by two men in the half-forward line in particular, John O’Brien and Pat Kerwick. I’ll especially single Kerwick out because he’s a guy who’s been around for a while – the same age as Eoin Kelly, remember – but hasn’t really been making an impression.
Yesterday, he did, was involved in much that was good for Tipperary in the opening half. But, when the snipers got going, the inside men, that was when Limerick were really put to the sword. And rightly so – when you get the opportunity, you must go for the jugular. Tipperary hadn’t been doing that, but they got it right for this one. Lar Corbett, Noel McGrath, Eoin Kelly – what an inside line to have! Individually, all three are superb finishers, 5-3 from play between them, but what was most impressive was this – apart from the first goal, which came directly from a Limerick error, all the Tipperary goals were team goals, all working for each other, totally unselfish setup work, brilliant finishes.
This is a credit to the players, but also a credit to the management who have instilled that in the players, to coach Eamonn O’Shea, to fitness man Cian O’Neill, to everyone involved.
Enough about Tipperary, they were superb yesterday, but I’m sure they’d have preferred a better contest to prepare them for what’s ahead in three weeks. But that’s not their fault, they did what they had to do against what was put in front of them.
But, Limerick. This is where I could really go to town. Nothing to say? Everything to say! Tactically they were all at sea, clueless – if you’re going to have a two-man full-forward line, you need to have real pace up there, in one of those guys at least. Limerick didn’t have that. It’s a tactic that’s overdone anyway – play your team man-to-man, see what the opposition are made of.
Ball-handling, first touch, any of the skills you’d associate with top-class hurling – non-existent. What have Limerick been doing for the last six months, since the clock turned? They looked like a team that met for the first time only a few minutes before throw-in. And their fitness levels – where were they at? Again, what have they been doing? I met a few former Limerick hurlers afterwards, top players, and they were absolutely disgusted.
What has gone wrong in Limerick? Isn’t this substantially the same team which, under Richie Bennis, put up such a strong performance against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final of two years ago, after a terrible start?
Yesterday, after another terrible start, they caved in; were a team without direction, not at the races. This was a terrible reflection on what is still a fantastic hurling county. Leadership? In a crisis you look to those at the top, to the management – yesterday, again, non-existent.
That’s not being harsh, that’s simply being honest –never have I seen a Limerick team so lacking in every element of hurling and certainly not in Croke Park. I could go on, but I won’t; those are the facts, only the facts.
I got a bit of a hard time from some Limerick supporters before the match for having said on Saturday that, even if Tipperary weren’t at their best, I couldn’t see them losing this; well, Tipp were very near their best, they did put the pedal to the metal, and – as predicted – they did win well. Does that bode well for the All-Ireland final?
At least we know one thing now – the All-Ireland final will not be a massacre. Two exceptionally talented teams, but two exceptionally talented management teams also, two managers who won’t leave a stone unturned. Three good weeks of build-up, and a mouth-watering final in prospect.
But, by God, does hurling need a big final, to salvage what has been a poor championship season!
