Hurling a better place with Eamon O’Shea

No match being an island, the only place any review of last Sunday from the losers’ perspective can begin is with another All Ireland semi-final. The 2012 All Ireland semi-final. Tipperary 1-15 Kilkenny 4-24. 

There has been no more embarrassing day for the blue and gold in living memory, perhaps not even in undead memory. This is the backdrop. This is the nadir from which Eamon O’Shea, now the former Tipp manager, started out.

They didn’t bring home the MacCarthy Cup under O’Shea? No, but they did come within six inches of doing so, and this in a county that long ago mislaid the habit of winning more than one All-Ireland per decade. They only managed one piece of silverware in nine trophy attempts? Yes, but they did reach two league finals and were unfortunate to lose one of them in extra-time.