Tipp undaunted by Kingdom trip

AS CHAMPIONSHIP draws go, the one facing Tipperary footballers this summer is as forbidding as possible. After a spectacular rate of progress in the past two seasons under John Evans, hopes of provincial glory in 2010 have been dented by the fact that Tipperary are paired with All-Ireland champions Kerry in their Munster opener, with defeated finalists Cork awaiting the winners.

Tomorrow Tipp head to Fitzgerald Stadium for a McGrath Cup dress rehearsal ahead of their date with the Kingdom on May 16, yet they are not daunted by the prospects ahead.

“We’re looking forward to the experience now,” insisted Tipperary selector John Cummins. “Heading down to Killarney to face the All-Ireland champions is a great thing to be preparing for. We had two good wins over UL and LIT last weekend. It was fairly hectic playing two games in 24 hours and you could see the effects, with lads suffering from cramp near the end on Sunday. We passed those tests but we’re going up another 10 notches up the richter scale. Kerry had seven or eight of their first team against Waterford last Sunday, and they have serious talent. But it’s the sort of challenge we want and you can’t buy the experience we’ll get.”

The issue of experience is something Tipperary are eager for their young outfit to accumulate. Their policy of the past two seasons has been to promote promising youngsters to senior and judge whether they are capable of competing at the higher grades. The response to the county football call has been overwhelmingly positive and evidence of the growing stature of Tipperary football has been reflected in the influx of hurling players to the squad.

Cashel’s Ryan O’Dwyer, who lined out for Liam Sheedy’s senior hurlers in the Munster championship in 2008, along with Loughmore-Castleiney duo Derek Bourke and Ciarán McGrath, who won Munster Club SHC medals in 2007, have all been drafted into the football set-up.

“We’ve more new fellas on board this year and that increases our options,” says Cummins. “Ryan O’Dwyer wouldn’t be coming from a football orientated area but he’s a really promising player. Then Derek is a strong, tough defender and Ciarán has played for Tipperary at minor football level. We’ve young guys in as well like Peter Acheson and Conor Sweeney who’d have been minors in 2008. There’s about seven of our panel involved with colleges at the moment and that’s meant we can try out other guys.

“There’s a big difference with Tipperary football with the turnouts we get for training and everything. It’s unreal the commitment we’ve got in the past two years and that’s continuing. Even with the cold, frosty weather at the start of the month, we still had 33 lads training indoors in the Dome in Thurles. They seem to be very proud to play for their county now and the days of excuses are gone.”

Cummins is quick to attribute credit to the architect of the revival in interest.

“What John Evans has done, is bring a lot of respect to the Tipperary scene. He was the right man to come in on board to guide the young team. Last year in the Munster championship, the expectations probably got to some of our lads and they wouldn’t have experienced that before. I think they can now cope better with that situation. Division 2 is going to be a serious standard but playing the likes of Kildare and Armagh is where we want to be.”