This time Tipp know what to expect

SO, a couple of weeks after its Leinster equivalent and a week after the football, the Munster senior hurling championship kicks off with Tipp and Cork, and what a mouth-watering way in which to start.

This is their sixth meeting in Munster in seven years, after somewhat of a drought period before that — but this is a relationship that never gets old.

Last year is our only real reference point so early in the season, and there are parallels. In 2010 — even though they were heading to Páirc Uí Chaoimh — Tipperary were raging hot favourites. They were coming off the back of a near-miss in the previous year’s All-Ireland final. Facing them were a Cork team seen to be in transition, a team with too many members whose best days were behind them.

Now? Same thoughts apply, with the added fact that Tipp are the reigning All-Ireland champions.

Well, we all know what happened last year — Cork winning by a somewhat flattering 10 points but well worth their win nevertheless. The trouble was Cork had put all their eggs into that one particular basket and hadn’t looked or planned beyond Tipperary. Instead of being seen as a means to an end it was seen as an end in itself. That was a mistake, a mistake that would prove fatal before the season ended, and Cork subsequently lost a Munster final they could have won against Waterford and were beaten out the gate by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.

This year, and again according to manager Denis Walsh, Cork have taken a different approach. Tipp are still a target, but just the first target in what they hope will be a long journey. What a target, however.

Tipperary recovered superbly after last year’s loss, improved from game to game, and were absolutely brilliant — 1 to 15 — in defeating Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final.

They are missing a few stars from that game, most notably midfielder Brendan Maher, but the three players they’ve brought in — wing-backs David Young and John O’Keeffe, wing-forward Seamus Callanan — are three top-quality players, so the team is as strong as ever.

In Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year Tipp were caught cold by what is still a top-quality Cork team and weren’t able to react.

They are expecting it tomorrow, however, forewarned from their league encounter of a few weeks ago, which ended in a draw.

Verdict: Tipperary