Tipperary turn up the temperature as league race hots up
We got the benefit of the bracing sea air, the fresh breeze, and for that at least I want to thank the sports editor, for sending me.
As for a hurling contest? There was none.
Galway looked like a team that had a feed of bacon-and-cabbage for breakfast, followed by a heavy training-session, before taking the field in Pearse Stadium.
If that wasn’t the case, then they have serious problems with their hurling.
I noticed Galway invited all the Féile na nGael teams in the county to come to the stadium free of charge – Féile is being held in Galway this year – and they have to be complimented for that.
What a disappointment for those young players to see their heroes walloped like that. A different consolation for them, however – if they noted how Tipperary played, if they learned from how Tipperary hurl, then it won’t have been a wasted day for them.
Because in truth, only one team played yesterday – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Galway team perform so poorly.
We all know Galway aren’t yet the finished article and they have a few big players to come back, but I don’t believe they are as bad as they played yesterday. What an opportunity missed by them, to show themselves in a positive light before a good crowd.
As it was the players in maroon-and-white lacked in attitude, they lacked in commitment, they lacked in intelligence, they lacked in aggression. All the qualities you look for in a team, they were lacking. There was no method in their play, no teamwork, none of the fighting spirit that you always associate with Galway teams.
The only people who impressed were Eoin Forde, David Burke, and the sub, Johnny Coen; everyone else was made to look second-best, although I couldn’t understand why Tony Óg Regan was taken off. Maybe the Galway management has something up their sleeve for the championship, but I’ll tell ye now, it would need to be a big sleeve.
To Tipperary, and as bad as Galway were, Tipp were really good. Already you can see the improvement on last year, the influence of coach Tommy Dunne. Everything was done at pace, fantastic touch, great hurling intelligence. I said it was a hurling lesson for the young kids from the Galway clubs – it was actually a hurling lesson for us all, hurling as it should be played. You have to give great credit for that to Declan Ryan, Michael Gleeson and Dunne, who seem to have really bedded in now with this team.
They showed a great range of skills last year, but they’ve taken that on again.
From a very assured keeper in Darren Gleeson, right up to corner-forward Shane Bourke, Tipperary were outstanding.
Look at who they were missing yesterday – Brendan Cummins, Paddy Stapleton, Conor O’Mahony, Brendan Maher, Eoin Kelly, Seamus Callanan, Noel McGrath – and ask yourself, what kind of headache is Declan Ryan going to have when all those are fit? James Woodlock came on yesterday and looked the part, Seán Carey looked good, Brian O’Meara was effective – ten players scored for Tipperary!
WHAT an excess of riches to have, looking better and better as the season progresses.
A quick word on the other games: a good performance by Dublin against Kilkenny to draw, but all those wides have to be a real worry now – 19 in the last game, against Galway, 17 against Kilkenny.
As for Kilkenny, I listed the fellas Tipp are missing but Kilkenny’s list is even deeper. Maybe it is no harm for those lads to be having this rest, come back fresh.
Great result for Wexford against Cork which puts Denis Walsh’s side out of the league reckoning. Cork took their eye off the ball with all the changes and maybe took Wexford for granted.
You pay for that arrogance at this level.
Waterford did the business against Offaly, and have a chance of making the decider in the final round.
Their meeting with Galway is crucial now – you could say the final round doubles up as league semi-finals. Who’ll be there with Kilkenny – Galway, Tipperary, Waterford, Dublin???
