Tipp could be on road to erasing bad memories
Dublin found that out to their cost yesterday. A high workrate from attackers chasing back into midfield to cut down your opponents’ time and space to deliver the ball is de rigueur for success. Dublin didn’t do that.
As a result, Liam Rushe and his wing men were exposed and at half-time Dublin were 12 points behind with the game effectively over as a contest.
The overriding image of the first half was that of the space around and in front of the Tipperary forward line.
Midfielders Noel and Shane McGrath ran the show, having time to pick out colleagues up front with precise passes.
The forwards ahead of them moved and interchanged with purpose, giving the Dublin defenders a torrid time. It didn’t help Dublin’s cause that Shane Bourke rocked them with an early goal while all the Premier forwards had scored by the 18th minute.
The Tipp forwards all put their direct opponents under massive pressure and Dublin resorted to hurried clearances which were poorly directed and swept up by an eager defence.
Pádraic Maher was named at full-back but lined out at centre half-back with Conor O’Mahony dropping back to pick up David O’Callaghan on the edge of the square. Maher dominated from his central position for the entire game. Another plus for Eamon O’Shea was Paddy Stapleton — the corner-back missed last year through injury but was very impressive yesterday.
Tipp were all energy and enthusiasm and showed co-ordinated attacking efforts. Indeed, it was as far removed as a performance could be from their opening night effort against Cork.
Seamus Callanan had a goal chance to finish the game in the 19th minute, but the impressive Dublin keeper Alan Nolan diverted his shot out for a 65. Callanan did finish the game in the 33rd minute with a powerfully struck penalty.
By the 50th minute Dublin had reduced the lead to three clear goals and you could sense nervousness in the Tipp supporters sitting in the Old Stand. They roared their team on and Tipp upped their performance a gear or two and ran out the easiest of winners at the end, with a 15-point winning margin.
It’s hard to judge where either team are, based on this game. Dublin looked like a side with a different focus. They may have decided their league ambitions were sated by winning Division 1B and were concentrating on preparations for their championship game with Wexford in June.
Tipp were out of the blocks quickly and were very impressive all over, but will have to wait for tougher tests to see their true ability. They will be satisfied with their cohesion, as they looked a team at odds with themselves last season. But 2012 now seems a distant memory based on the enthusiasm on show yesterday.
There’s nothing like success to drive a team on and the form of Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and Jason Forde will be welcomed by supporters as they seek to put last year’s bad memories to bed.
