Tyrrell: Cats not short of impetus
The big Kilkenny defender doesn’t hand you off with a cliche, however. People hoping the Cats would lose? Only natural, he says.
“You’re fixated on your own situation, but you’re aware of that, of course. You’re aware of it in any sport – if you were watching Chelsea in the morning you’d obviously shout for the underdog. That’s only natural.
“We’d have been aware last year that the majority of people would have been shouting for Tipperary rather than us, but that’s sport. There’s always a chance the underdog will come through, and that’s what makes it so interesting.”
Tonight the underdogs have another shot at the champions.
Kilkenny-Tipperary is big box office any day, but as a league opener it’s mouthwatering.
“We won’t need any motivation, particularly after last year,” says the James Stephens man.
“We’re really looking forward to it – having it at night, under lights, means it’ll be different in a lot of ways. You’ll have two teams who’ll really be going at it, so it should be a good night.”
They went at it in two of the games last year, the NHL final and the All-Ireland decider. The latter was the game of the season, and Tyrrell doesn’t disagree when you suggest Kilkenny were relieved as much as delighted to make it four in a row.
“I think you’re right, Tipp were a team we hadn’t beaten in a really important game and the way the build-up was going, there was a lot of talk about whether we’d win or not.
“When we did there was relief – but now it’s a new year, and there’s pressure in Kilkenny to produce an All-Ireland every year.
“You’d hear people mentioning five in a row already, but that’s crazy talk for this time of the year. We’ll take it one game at a time and tonight is a good way to start.”
There’s a perception abroad that teams were catching up with Kilkenny last year.
“After games you’d step back and analyse them, obviously during the game itself you’re just fixated on the play and getting through the game.
“Tipperary and Waterford seemed to be getting closer to us – the All-Ireland final was certainly in the balance until the last few minutes,” said Tyrrell. who is a business development manager with Glanbia.
“Maybe teams are focusing on breaking down our game a bit more, on counteracting how we play. Obviously with our success in recent years other teams are looking at ways to counteract us, and they’re coming up with different plans to do so. Dublin is the obvious example, they limited us in the Leinster final, but that’s something we’ve come to exact.”
Is that obvious even from corner-back, Tyrrell’s usual station?
“Dublin brought a man back straightaway, you could see that happening at the very start of the game.
“Against Waterford you could see Stephen Molumphy going further back the field as well, back to his half-back line. With Tipperary you could see the movement of their two wing-forwards . . . you’d be conscious of it. You can see it from corner-back and you’re thinking ‘what can I do here to counteract those things?’ Every day you go out you’re expecting a team to produce something different for you to deal with.”
In the modern game does the corner-back have to get involved in the play?
“Definitely you’re trying to get involved,” he says. “If the opposition go back the field then I’ll go in and take a quick puck-out from our ‘keeper, for instance, to try to draw the opposition players forward.
“Obviously you’re covering for other lads in defence, you’re trying to do what you can for the team, so the game is evolving all the time. Everyone’s trying to get the edge on the opposition all the time – not to mention diet and so forth, the stuff that goes on off the field.”
The commitment and sacrifices are worth it, says Tyrrell: the dividend from success is visible.
“When the senior team is going well everyone is out hurling and you can see that the next cycle of players is coming on stream.
“When you’re winning All-Irelands obviously it’s very enjoyable. you’d have to enjoy all the success that we’ve had. There’s such a great sense of pride in playing for your county, we feel privileged to have that opportunity, and to have had the success we’ve had. Hopefully it’ll continue for at least another year!”
That year begins in earnest at half seven this evening. Don’t miss it.
KILKENNY (v Tipperary): PJ Ryan; C Hickey, B Hogan, J Dalton; T Walsh, J Tyrrell, JJ Delaney; W Dwyer, PJ Delaney; R Hogan, M Rice, A Fogarty; M Grace, M Comerford, R Power.
Subs: D Herity, R O'Neill, J Ryall, J Tennyson, D Fogarty, S Cummins, E McGrath, P Hogan, J Mulhall.
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