Tipp defence steps forward
Yesterday, in this All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final at sun-soaked Croke Park, it was the turn of the defence to make a name for themselves.
Those highly-rated Tipp forwards again managed 19 points but against an injury-hit but fired-up Dublin side that exceeded all expectations they were confined to just the one goal.
Time for the Tipp defence to step forward, and step forward they did.
No goal conceded, not even a sniff of a goal until the final minute when Brendan Cummins cleared off the line from Ryan O’Dwyer while an ill-judged shot from Paul Ryan in the 32nd minute was the only save the Tipp custodian had to make in 70 minutes.
Yes, Dublin played a tactically defensive game, withdrawing both Dotsy O’Callaghan and Alan McCrabbe to reinforce midfield and the half-back line, but they still managed to apply constant pressure up front; this time it was the Tipp defence standing tall.
Tipperary needed Paul Curran in control at full-back, needed Paddy Stapleton and sweeper Michael Cahill at their covering best alongside him.
They needed Conor O’Mahony to hold the middle, needed John O’Keeffe and the immense Padraic Maher to hold their ground in the face of incessant Dublin attacks. All delivered.
Even as we praise Tipperary, however, we must also give due credit to Dublin, to Anthony Daly and his management team especially. Shorn of Stephen Hiney, Tomás Brady and Óisín Gough from their defence, denied the towering presence of Conal Keaney from the midfield/half-forward area, they were given no chance whatsoever of even coming close to the All-Ireland champions, of containing that lethal attack.
Daly and Dublin had other ideas, however, and that patched-up defence was magnificent, heroes all from two to seven.
They got off to a terrible start, a soft goal conceded to Lar Corbett in just the third minute. Peter Kelly failed to catch the bouncing ball and Lar ghosted in behind to just beat the advancing Gary Maguire and flick to the net. It was a cruel blow for both Kelly and Dublin; both would recover, and recover quickly. Lar did manage a further three points before the break, but he was the only Tipp forward on song as Kelly went to give an inspirational performance for Dublin.
Within minutes of the Tipp goal Dublin had notched three points, Alan McCrabbe, Liam Rushe (towering midfield performance before tiring in the final minutes) and the lethal Paul Ryan the scorers.
The sides then went tit-for-tat with three points apiece, leaving it at 1-3 to 0-6 after 14 minutes – game on, and game very much on when Dublin then added three points without reply. In fact were it not for a couple of underhit shots that dropped tamely into the grateful mitt of Brendan Cummins, and a goal attempt by Paul Ryan that should have been tapped over, Dublin would have been even further ahead. As it was, with a couple of late points from midfielders Shane McGrath and Gearoid Ryan, Tipp managed to pull it back to level pegging at the break, 1-8 to 0-11.
Tipp were being asked questions, no doubt about that. They made changes, came out for the second half with last year’s All-Star Brendan Maher introduced to midfield, Noel McGrath (hardly touched a ball in the first half) moved up front, and it was McGrath with the first point of the second period, followed by two pointed 65s from a subdued Eoin Kelly after two good body-blocks by the magnificent Gary Maguire.
With Tipp three points clear (1-11 to 0-11), this was when they were expected to start driving on but it was Dublin stepping forward and points from sub Maurice O’Brien (1) and free-taker Paul Ryan (2) had the game tied again by the 45th minute.
Eventually, in the final quarter, Tipperary did manage to battle their way free of Dublin, but a battle it was.
From the sideline – strange to relate in a game that was so close all through – there was never a sense that Dublin would actually win, but this was because the Tipperary defence was so in control.
The Dublin forwards worked very hard, none more so than veteran Liam Ryan, getting a rare but justified start at full-forward. Ultimately, however, they needed a goalscorer, they needed a Lar Corbett. From the evidence of what we saw in the minor semi-final, Dublin notching six goals in their win over Waterford, that threat is coming. Meanwhile, thanks to that defence, Tipp go through to another All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. The attack? Seamus Callanan, Patrick Maher, Eoin Kelly, John O’Brien all hauled ashore before the end.
The vagaries of sport?
Scorers for Tipperary: L Corbett 1-3; E Kelly 0-6 (0-2f, 0-3 65s); N McGrath 0-3 (0-1 s/l); P Maher 0-2; G Ryan 0-2; S McGrath, S Callanan, P Bourke (f), 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: P Ryan 0-9 (0-6f, 0-1 65); L Ryan, D O’Callaghan, A McCrabbe, R O’Dwyer, L Rushe, J Boland, P Kelly, M O’Brien, S Ryan, 0-1 each.
Subs for Tipperary: B Maher (Callanan 35); P Bourke (Patrick Maher 56); B O’Meara (Ryan 65); S Bourke (Kelly 70); J O’Neill (O’Brien 73).
Blood sub: T Stapleton (P Stapleton 45/46).
Subs for Dublin: M O’Brien (McCormack 35); D Plunkett (McCrabbe 53); S Lambert (Schutte inj. 63); S Ryan (L Ryan 65); P Carton (Durkin inj. 73). Blood sub: S Lambert (Durkin 53/56).
Referee: C McAllister (Cork).
