Cummins: We can topple the cats

Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins believes that his side have banished memories of last year's All-Ireland semi-final collapse and given themselves a realistic chance of beating kingpins Kilkenny in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC final at Croke Park.

Cummins is delighted that Tipp are back in their first All-Ireland decider since 2001 after a long eight-year wait.

He said: "There is no doubt about that, because it's something that after last year's disappointment we would all strive for.

"Maybe we thought it wouldn't happen but a performance like the one against Limerick last time out is very satisfying and to make the final at the end of it is better again."

Tipperary may have shown some nerves against Limerick in that recent semi-final, but these were quickly brushed aside as the Premier County offered their most clinical display to date.

"I think we expected Limerick to come at us and we wanted to attack them, but I suppose the game was deadlocked for a five- or 10-minute spell at the start.

"Once we got a goal, we got into a flow and the lads got goals which were vital."

Limerick brought an extra man back to midfield, but Cummins says that Liam Sheedy and the rest of the Tipperary management team concentrate on their own game-plan and do not worry about the opposition in that regard.

"I think we just go and do our thing and let the opposition do what they want to do.

"We keep moving the ball and that's our game and thankfully that happened the last day against Limerick.

"We got the breaks here and there and we got the right men in the right place to get the goals - Larry (Corbett) and Noel McGrath - so that certainly helped our cause.

"Limerick didn't do themselves a massive amount of favours at the start in playing an extra amount of guys around the middle, so it gave us a bit of breathing room to get into the game. The lads in front of me were fantastic."

He quipped: "It certainly was one of the easier days I've had in Dublin!"

And while Tipperary romped to a facile win over the Shannonsiders, Cummins did still have to step in at vital moments and make some important saves.

"It worked out okay. When you are playing in the goals at this level in an All-Ireland semi-final you expect a few things to do.

"The way it was - the Limerick full-forward line had showed how good they were over the previous three matches and they racked up big scores.

"I was glad to have a few things to do, and that I mopped them up okay."

Tipperary have not faced Kilkenny in Championship action since 2003, but there have been some keenly-contested league encounters between the teams in recent seasons.

The Ballybacon-Grange clubman is relishing the chance to take on their much-vaunted neighbours.

"It's something that we look forward to and it's something that this panel really wants is to be tested, and we are going to get that on Sunday.

"Getting to the final, it is a bit of a monkey off our backs. When Liam took over a couple of years ago, we had set a goal of getting to the All-Ireland final last year.

"I suppose we had to put it on the back-boiler for a year and it is very satisfying to be here now.

"Everyone wants the prize and Tipperary don't get to finals every year, so we'll take our turn this time around with these Kilkenny boys."

However, Cummins also urges caution that Tipperary do not get too caught up in the hype or get overawed by the occasion.

"It is something to be enjoyed and embraced I suppose, but at the same time you don't want to get too carried away because there still is a match to be played.

"As players we are here to play and the spectators will come to enjoy what we do, but we have to play."