Cautious Tipperary still have the edge

BARRING another upset, Tipperary will be expected to go through to the Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-finals.

For the second successive season they have had to depend on the qualifier system to make progress, this time after a shock exit in their first championship outing at the hands of Clare. Tomorrow in Croke Park they face another searching examination against an Offaly side which has also shown steady improvement since Wexford ended their interest in Leinster.

On the face of it, the Midlanders face a serious challenge, based on the results of their last two games with Tipperary. In the first round of the League in February, they lost 4-14 to 1-8 in Nenagh (when Lar Corbett finished with 3-3). Their previous clash was in the second round of last year's qualifier competition, when Tipperary were emphatic 2-19 to 1-9 winners.

Predictably, Tipp manager Michael Doyle doesn't share this view no more than experienced Offaly selector Pat Moloughney, who points out that their team is now more experienced.

Tipp's big win last year 'has no bearing whatsoever,' Doyle argues. "This is a totally different Offaly team. Last year, they were on a 'downer' going in against Tipp above in Portlaoise. I don't think they did justice to themselves. Any time we have played them down here (in Thurles) it's always a good game. You underestimate Offaly at your peril.''

After a comprehensive win over Laois in their first outing in the qualifiers, Tipperary faced up to Galway in Pearse Stadium two weeks ago. There was little enough between the teams at the end, after Tipperary produced what Doyle rated as 'probably their best hurling of the whole year' in the 20 minutes after half-time.

Nobody underestimates the loss of Philip Maher to the defence, and to the team overall, but it's something the management and players have "got over," he says. "All they can do for him is to keep winning."

Equally, Doyle stands over the decision to play Thomas Dunne at centre-back. "You could put him anywhere. Tommy is such a good hurler that he can play in any position.''

"And Benny (his brother) has been settling in at midfield. In the Galway game, he was very close to being man-of-the-match. He is very similar to Tommy, a very good stick-man and very versatile.''

Former star Pat Moloughney is one of two Offaly selectors working with Mike McNamara (the other being Paddy Kirwan, a member of the 1981 All-Ireland-winning side). He points to the progress made since they lost to Wexford in the Leinster semi-final: "we had a great first half but we seemed to lose our way then" - which was highlighted in the win over Limerick last week. It's to be seen in their greater consistency over 70 minutes.

"While Tipperary beat us well in the League and in last year's qualifier, I don't think they are as good as they were last year. "

From an Offaly perspective, players like Brian Carroll and Brendan Murphy (a star in the 2000 win over Cork) have been hurling very well and the Whelahan brothers are guaranteed to give 'of their all.'

"We have a lot of good, young hurlers around the 20/21 age," says Moloughney. "They haven't reached their peak yet, but they're all going to be good hurlers over the next couple of years - lads who will probably be Allstars. Most of them have played against Tipperary. Inexperience would have been their problem last year but they have gained a lot from the Wexford match, the Limerick match and from beating Dublin.''

He believes the game will be closer than people imagine. Indeed, he is quite positive about Offaly's prospects of advancing. "If we get the breaks, we have a right good chance of winning,'' he adds.

Doyle is cautious, commenting: "when you get to this stage, there's nothing too simple. I think it will be shown at the weekend. Wexford won't have it all their way with Antrim either. ''

My own view is that Tipperary will be too strong.