10 ways Tipp have turned it around
There is no shame for Seamus Callanan, pictured, being a late bloomer. His Kilkenny rivals for hurler of the year, Richie Hogan and TJ Reid, are exactly the same. Where the 25-year-old once needed an early score to settle him, now he doesn’t panic. Pushing him from the sides into full-forward has indicated to the player just how much faith there is being placed in him.
Much has been made of Patrick “Bonner” Maher’s return to his best after a disappointing time last season. A closer look would reveal the Lorrha man’s earlier part of 2013 was taken up with gruelling “passing out” military training in Athlone. Others before him like Eoin Larkin suffered similar drops in their hurling. Now he’s back to his best.
James Woodlock has spoken a couple of times about how the players realised in the wake of heavy criticism following recent championship defeats that it’s about doing it for themselves. There’s also a realisation that the ability to change people’s perceptions lies squarely in their hands.
What’s fuelling them now is the perceived lack of credit for putting Galway, Dublin and Cork to the sword.
Eamonn Corcoran touched on it in this newspaper earlier this week: the win over Galway did so much for Tipperary. Eamon O’Shea loathes tension and it had been building having lost all three of their Championship games before that early July Saturday. But as he has relaxed, so too have his players and their ability to express themselves has greatly increased.
Darren Gleeson did all in his power to string a second clean sheet the last day out. Cork’s consolation goal was hardly a mark against them, though. The quality of his puckouts in that game were rightly lauded and his confidence is soaring as he has well and truly stepped out of Brendan Cummins’ shadow. With Ken Hogan in the background, he is blossoming.
The players may have been stung by local reports about their socialising following the Limerick defeat but there hasn’t been a peep about drinking since then.
Shane Dowling is odds-on favourite to pick up young hurler of the year but don’t rule out Cathal Barrett just yet. The 21-year-old from Holycross-Ballycahill has cancelled out Henry Shefflin and Pat Horgan in recent knock-out games. As much belief is being invested in the excellent John O’Dwyer upfront to shine.
It might have happened by accident rather than design but the 29-year-old is looking like the All Star midfielder of 2008. Michael Cahill’s injury opened up the door for him to start against Dublin and he’s been impressive in the two games since. He struggled with the mantle of captaincy last year but is now booming without the responsibility.
The likes of Eoin Kelly and John O’Brien mightn’t be getting much game-time but the word is the veterans have been industrious in helping out their younger colleagues without kicking up much fuss about their lack of starts. It’s a credit to O’Shea that his older players have bought into his idea of creating a legacy.
The one major doubt about Tipperary is their ability to hang onto leads going into the final stages of games. Limerick have twice caught them out in that regard. Tipperary have shown they can come from behind to win but credit must be given to the way they have been able to put themselves too far out of sight going into the last five minutes to be reeled in.
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