Tipp aim to beard lion in own den

ROLL out the barricades, the Tippmen are coming, and this time, they mean business.

Last year, All-Ireland qualifiers, both of them using the tradesmen entrance, Cork overcame a game but tame Tipp in Killarney and went on to win the All-Ireland. This year they meet again, but in vastly-changed circumstances.

Three week's time, June 26, Tipp will come crashing through the front door, attempt to beard the lion in his own den. The Munster final take Cork in Cork that's their reward for knocking out Clare in a rain-fest in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

Leading the charge? A giant of a man from Loughmore/Castleiney, Miceál Webster by name. Oh, it's been a barren and frustrating few years alright, for the supporters of the blue-and-gold, but all that could be about to end.

Hold Eoin Kelly and you beat Tipp, that's been the mantra for all opposition over those lean years. In fact, you don't even have to hold him, just confine him and restrict him, because up front, he was practically a one-man band, for Tipperary.

No longer. First there was the arrival of Lar Corbett, a freakishly-fast sprinter with an eye for goal; now there's the return of Tommy Dunne, the successful conversion of Colin Morrissey to a willing workhorse wing-forward, the blossoming potential of former intermediate star Francis Devanney, the pace and eye for a score of youngster Evan Sweeney. And the arrival of big Miceál.

"This was only his second championship game," said a grateful Eoin Kelly, happy that some of his load has been lightened.

"Conditions suited him, the ball was breaking, he got himself in the right places, got a goal, a few other scores came off him. Overall, a very good performance. He's a big man, and you need a few big men around, especially in these type of conditions. The last day (against Limerick) was rough, weather-wise, so was today, but he gets stuck in there, makes the breaks for the rest of us. We have to build on this now."

Manager Ken Hogan was even more appreciative. "Miceál is a late-comer to the inter-county stage at 26/27 years of age, but he's worked so hard. He sacrifices himself for the good of the team, gets in there and does his best.

"He's a very honest player, takes an awful lot of punishment, but he always keeps the head up. Miceál won't step back, he'll stay working hard."

That spirit, that work ethic, was in evidence from the throw-in yesterday. Facing no less an opponent than Brian Lohan, the multi-decorated Clare full-back, Webster was on the front foot from the off, out in front, winning the hard ball.

Result? A hand in both Tipp goals, the 11th and 12th minute double-whammy that had Clare chasing this game for the remaining 60 minutes of no-frills action. For the first, he pounced on a long Paul Kelly centre that was broken into his path by the magnificent Eoin Kelly, laid off a perfect pass for Corbett to goal; for the second, the high-fielding Corbett turned provider, but still the big man was left with some work to do, did it, stepping nimbly around the inside line of defence, to tap home to an empty net. So, was he fazed at the prospect of facing the might of Lohan? Was he heck.

"No, just being on him was a buzz on its own, but it doesn't matter to me who I'm on, as far as I'm concerned I'm not marking them, they're marking me, that's the way I look at it. I'm a confidence player, no matter what happens in a game, I keep going.

"I don't think people realised it, but we were training out of our skins during the League, lads doing weights, whatever, hard physical training. There's a great bond there, within the squad, but we're training for September. People were putting us down as the fifth-best team in Munster, I think now we've proved we're a bit better than that, up with the best.

"We're not afraid of Cork either, we plan to be there (in Croke Park) in September." Now that's fightin' talk, exactly the kind of attitude you'd expect from a Tippman.

Mind you, the most ironic thing in all of this is that the most surprised person of all that Webster will be striding back to mark Diarmuid O'Sullivan in the Munster senior hurling final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on June 26 is Webster.

"This was the furthest thought from my mind. I played football there last year, against Limerick, that would be my stronger sport. But I hurled well with my club last year, Ken gave me a call, and I took it from there. I've put in a lot of hard work, going to the gym, going to the ball-alley, doing what needed to be done, and it's paid off, so far anyway.

"I know Cork well, Tipp love going to Cork, all the supporters do as well. I'm expecting a massive crowd to turn up. I marked Diarmuid in the League already, another good tussle.

"I'm not going to be afraid of him, it will be another hard game. I'm just going out there to win a Munster final for Tipperary, it's a fifteen-man team, not just about any one individual. Hopefully, we can do it for one another."

Oh, yes, man those barricades. The boys are back in town, and they're loaded for bear.