Jackie Tyrrell: Tipperary hadn’t the balls to take us on

“It always felt like they were scared to beat us.”

Tipperary were running scared of Kilkenny during the counties’ great modern rivalry, insists retired Kilkenny defender Jackie Tyrrell, writes Larry Ryan.

Writing in his new autobiography The Warrior’s Code — penned with Christy O’Connor — the nine-time All-Ireland winner is scathing of Tipp’s inability to stand up physically to Brian Cody’s powerful charges. And Tyrrell details the methods he used to target Lar Corbett in the 2011 All-Ireland final, a game that swung the dynamic between the teams back in Kilkenny’s favour.