Mourning over as Kelly now focuses on Galway

WHILE last Sunday’s senior All-Ireland hurling loss to Kilkenny will still be weighing heavily on the minds of most of the Tipperary lads, the period of mourning lasted all of 24 hours for ace corner-forward Eoin Kelly.

After that it was back to preparing for Saturday's All-Ireland U-21 semi-final against Galway in Ennis, where captain Kelly will lead a team in search of Tipp's first All-Ireland appearance at this grade since 1995.

"I don't know what went wrong last Sunday at all. People are saying we looked unfit in comparison to Kilkenny, but sure it's up the players themselves to put in the effort, isn't it? It's not too bad for those of us who have the U-21 this Saturday, we have a chance to redeem ourselves, get some consolation from the year, so we've recovered quickly enough."

But they could be in for more heartache, because as Kelly himself points out the team they're meeting is also in search of redemption, but has a better track record.

"I don't know too much about Galway, except that this is the team that won the minor in 2000, so most of them have that experience under their belts already. A lot of them would have been on the team that lost to Limerick last year in the All-Ireland U-21 final, so they'll be out to make up for that.

"They have nine or ten on the senior panel with experience of either League or Championship, fellas like Damien Hayes, Richie Murray, Tony Óg Regan, Brian O'Mahony. They have Farragher at midfield, who has won three All-Ireland medals. He played senior with them last year but dropped himself off that panel this year. They also have Kevin Brady, wing-back on the senior football, won an All-Ireland U-21 football last year."

Sounds almost like an argument for staying at home, but not quite. Tipperary have a few advantages themselves significant advantages.

"The trouble with Galway is you never know what they've got in a semi-final. They never know themselves what they've got, because it's always their first big game of the year. We've already had three hard matches, the Munster semi-final against Clare, the final and replay against Cork, and that should stand to us. The match against Clare was in Ennis also, though Galway will be familiar enough with that venue as well."

Those matches have really brought on a Tipperary team that was seen even within its own county as honest enough but probably carrying too many passengers, over-reliant on a couple of big names, not least their captain. They had won nothing at minor, and there was nothing to suggest that was about to change. Those with the senior experience mentioned above by Kelly have indeed performed well, the emerging Martin Maher especially, but there have been others.

Corner-back Eamonn Buckley was burned by Cork's Kieran Murphy in the drawn game, but didn't give an inch in the replay; Devane is a rock at full-back; and Michael Phelan is also solid in the other corner. But it's the half-back line of Maher, Diarmuid Fitzgerald and especially Hugh Moloney that has most impressed.

Throw-in is at 4.15pm, following the two senior camogie semi-finals, the first of which will see Tipperary favoured to defeat Limerick.

The Tipperary line-up features one change from the team which started the replay of the Munster Final with Cork. David Kennedy of Clonoulty-Rossmore replaces Michael Farrell of Killenaule at wing-forward.

lThe Kerry team to play Laois in Sunday's All-Ireland MFC semi-final shows one change from that which defeated Mayo in the quarter-final.

Brian Moran, who replaced John O'Shea at midfield against the Connacht side, retains his place. Brian is a son of former Kerry legend Denis 'Ogie' Moran.

TIPPERARY (U-21HC v Galway): V Doheny, E Buckley, J Devane, M Phelan, M Maher, D Fitzgerald, H Moloney, H Ryan, J Caesar, P Buckley, F Devanney, D Kennedy, E Kelly, J O'Brien (Toomevara), T Scroope (Burgess). Subs: J Ryan, M Farrell, E Hanley, N Ryan, R O'Brien, D Bourke, C O'Mahoney, A O'Neill, D Maher.

KERRY (MF v Laois): B Kealy (Kilcummin); M Curran (Waterville), L Quinn (Dr Crokes), P Reidy (Scartaglen); C Kelliher (Milltown/Castlemaine), S O'Sullivan (Lispole), J McGillacuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar); D Breen (Beaufort), B Moran (Kerins O'Rahillys); M Murphy (Gneeveguilla), B O'Grady (Ballyduff), M Bowler (do.); D Doona (Beaufort), B Sheehan (St. Marys), D Geaney (Dingle).