Lessons learnt the catalyst for Tipp glory

AS the action frantically inched towards the finish in Austin Stack Park, Tralee on Wednesday night, thoughts of 12 months ago sprung to the minds of the Tipperary U21 footballers.

Last March they were undone in traumatic fashion by a late Cork goal but this time that harrowing experience proved to be instructive. Clinging onto a one-point lead in injury-time, Tipperary were intent on not shipping a levelling score to Kerry and had the knowledge of how to close out the game successfully.

“Listen, we probably have to thank Cork in a way for last year,” states captain Ciarán McDonald. “We learnt so much from that. It really motivated us to win. The cup was in our hands last year and they snatched it away from us.