Kerry look too crafty for Tipp

FOR all the talk about the personnel losses Kerry have suffered over the winter, the starting side Jack O’Connor selected for tomorrow still has a formidable and imposing look to it.

They still have 10 of last year’s All-Ireland winning team, Brendan Kealy is a solid netminder and the inclusion of Quirke, Walsh, Donaghy and Sheehan between numbers nine and 15 does not seem to appreciably weaken their lineup.

Whether the selected team is the one that does start in Semple Stadium at 4pm tomorrow is debatable. Marc and Tomás O Sé remain injury concerns, particularly the latter of the An Ghaeltacht brothers, and if he fails to make it, then expect Marc to move out to the wing and Padraig Reidy to slot into the corner.

However, all the indications are that Tomás will line out for Kerry.

The key task facing Tipperary is to start in a competitive manner. Their tepid openings to games have been a source of major frustration to John Evans over the last 12 months, as a trend has developed of lethargic first-half displays preceding rousing second-half displays. They’ll know that if they start slow tomorrow, Kerry will not allow them a route back into contention.

What is in Tipperary’s favour though is that their squad is in its strongest state since Evans assumed control. In defence Ciaran McDonald is a superb man-marker as evidenced by his U21 exploits although tackling Colm Cooper sees an increase in the defensive standards required. Ciarán McGrath has added a combative edge to their half-back line, while fellow championship debutant Peter Acheson is a really exciting talent at wing-forward who produced a tour de force against Kerry in the Munster U21 final.

Tipperary’s game plan will ensure they keep the concession of scores at a minimum, but the key question is how they will go about sourcing points themselves. Barry Grogan’s qualities are undoubted yet where is the support for him going to come from? Phillip Austin has improved greatly as a scoring centre-forward points but Mike McCarthy will be primed to halt his charge.

Tipperary need one of their corner-forwards, Sean Carey and Brian Mulvihill, to cut loose, yet Marc O Sé and Tom O’Sullivan are masters of nullifying attacking threats.

A key issue for Kerry this year is the lack of championship experience on their bench with eight newcomers there from last year’s panel, but that is a pressing subject for down the road rather than tomorrow. John Evans spoke during the week of how he felt Kerry would be too crafty and experienced; that summation looks accurate.

Even if Tipperary are close around the 50th minute mark, Kerry have the attacking punch in Cooper, O’Sullivan and Donaghy to get over the line.

- Verdict: Kerry