After Munster success in 2020, where to next for Tipperary football?
The Tipperary team observe a minute's silence before last year's Munster SFC final win over Cork. They face into their title defence without Philip Austin and Colin O’Riordan. Picture: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
If the sales of Tipperary’s 1920 commemorative jersey are indicative of the feelgood factor about the county’s senior footballers, the afterglow of a famous 2020 season will be enduring.
Sold out on its first run before Christmas, the limited edition Grangemockler-inspired kit was restocked due to popular demand and continues to do good business seven months after it was worn just the once.
But once was more than enough for it to be remembered forever as the jersey Tipperary wore when ending 85 years without a Munster SFC crown.
“The jersey is seen by the kids as something new and trendy,” says former selector Shane Stapleton, a teacher in Fermoy’s Coláiste an ChraoibhĂn. “I can see kids even in school in Cork going around with it on whereas before if you brought out any kind of Tipp football jersey there wouldn’t be much interest.”
Going by reports in the camp, the buzz from that famous win over Cork remains despite the time that has passed or the heavy All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo that followed the provincial triumph.
But there is a groundedness too. Being drawn on the same side of Munster as Kerry this summer brings with it a large dollop of realisation that a title defence will be challenging. And the recent retirement of Philip Austin and the return of Colin O’Riordan to the Sydney Swans removes two huge leaders from the group.
And while there is hope that some of last year’s minor team will produce a few senior footballers in the coming years, there is nothing like the U21 class of 2015 nor is there expected to be for the foreseeable future.
Stapleton prays last year provides inspiration to teenagers that the big ball code can offer success but growing pressure in the county on young players to pick between football and hurling worries him.
“Last year with Bloody Sunday and the run the boys went on, it took football off life support. There is something tangible now that they can aim for. But for it to survive long term in the next 10-15 years when this current crop sadly have to part, you would worry about the juvenile structures. I know only too well about kids suffering burnout and doing too much but I think if players are choosing at 13 years of age in Tipp between hurling and football ultimately there won’t be the pool of players that are there.
“Even the likes of (former U20 All-Ireland winning hurling star) Conor Bowe deciding to go with the football, that helps. The odd year that marquee underage hurlers throw their lot in with the footballers gives a boost.
“The footballers mightn’t keep Conor Bowe for the next three, four, five years but it’s often worked well for everyone in the past when hurlers have switched over.
“It’s always going to be about expectation with the hurlers and hope with the footballers but there aren’t that many players coming out of minor and going straight into an U20 or senior hurling set-up.
“I think if the county board realise that they’re getting return from the investment in the dual players graduating to either senior set-up it’s a positive thing. Are we going to compete with the hurlers? Realistically, we’re not. The hurlers have a realistic chance of winning an All-Ireland most years and with the footballers if it doesn’t work with the hurlers, there is a group which is competitive and isn’t a bad alternative.”
A semi-final date with what should be a ravenous Kerry awaits Tipperary in July should Peter Keane’s men see past Clare.
With that in mind, manager David Power has spoken about the Division 3 South campaign being the priority — promotion would be a good move in avoiding the Tailteann Cup next year.
“We want to get out of Division 3. There’s no point going along beating Cork, Clare, teams from Division 2 and then we fail to turn up against the Wicklows, Offalys, and Limericks that we’re going to be playing in the league,” said Power last month.
He has Stapleton’s support. “I think David is correct: this year is about getting out of Division 3. I think the format might suit Tipp. Three southern fixtures and there are a couple of them they will fancy winning. And then if you get to the latter stages of the league that might give you a bit of confidence going into the Championship.
“Even before the Tailteann Cup surfaced, the progress made under John Evans, Peter Creedon and Liam Kearns meant we would have always seen ourselves as a top half team. To go down to Division 3 again brought up the bad memories from the 1990s and early 2000s.
“If they had gone out all guns blazing in the league and got promoted then didn’t take advantage of avoiding Cork and Kerry to make the final then that would have been a disappointment. You can see why the focus has changed to league this year because of the draw and to get things in place for next year particularly when there are no qualifiers this year.”
There is a concern that more players will consider it won’t get any better than 2020. “I’ll die a happy man now anyway after it,” said Austin upon his retirement last month about claiming the provincial title 15 years on from his debut.
“Nobody could begrudge the 34-year-old stalwart but how long before servants like Brian Fox (33 in July), Conor Sweeney (31), Alan Campbell (30 in October) and Robbie Kiely (31 in December) get thinking the same?
“There was a bit of destiny about what happened last year,” believes Stapleton. “The likes of Michael (Quinlivan) and Colin coming back and you’d almost everything going right. Tipp need a lot of things to go their way when it comes to injuries and they did in 2020.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
