Cahill's Tipp on 'right track' after securing back-to-back wins
Tipperary's Brian McGrath is shepherded over the sideline by Jack Redmond and Corey Byrne Dunbar of Wexford. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.
Liam Cahill says Tipperary are on the “right track” by blooding young players as they rose to the top of Division 1A with a six-point victory over relegation-threatened Wexford.
Darragh McCarthy’s second penalty in two starts secured the spoils as he unleashed an identical finish to his goal against Galway to secure back-to-back Premier wins.
His 1-7 led the way among 12 different Tipp scorers in what ultimately was a mediocre League encounter in front of 5,125 fans at Semple Stadium.
“Darragh McCarthy is very young but he’s a capable player. Big credit to him, at 20-odd years of age, to be able to stand up there on that stage, both last week and again today,” said Cahill.
“That’s what you can’t beat, giving players of that age and that potential those opportunities.
“It mightn’t be seen from the stands as anything major now but I guarantee you down the road it’s big because it allows that player to really believe in himself.
“And we’re on the right track with the majority of these younger fellas that are coming through.” With bigger challenges to come, starting away to Limerick on Sunday, Cahill remains focused on the lessons to be gleaned for their championship opener against the Munster holders.
“We don’t have to really prove anything to anybody, only ourselves,” he said of their League ambitions.
“We’re very much aware of arriving towards the end of the League with a good settled team, regardless of where we are in the table.
“The 20th of April against Limerick is the ultimate target.” Liam Cahill handed League debuts to Gavin O’Halloran, Josh Keller, and Oisín O’Donoghue, plus a first start to Robert Doyle.
The full-back line proved Tipp’s most impressive combination between Doyle, full-back Eoghan Connolly, and Michael Breen.
They didn’t allow Wexford a sniff of goal while outscoring the visiting full-forward line from play. Connolly notched two points from inside his own half and Breen tagged on one more.
Their midfield were also effective with Craig Morgan winning the penalty and Willie Connors matching his three-point haul against the Tribesmen.
“It’s small little building blocks all the time – and a massive challenge now next weekend in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick,” said Cahill.
“The intensity of that game in Páirc Uí Chaoimh was incredible. Two massively fit teams for this time of the year and fully developed, more so than ourselves.
“We’ll have it all to do – but again, it’s a brilliant opportunity and a great occasion for these young men to learn their trade.”
Tipp led throughout the first hour without ever burning off the visitors.
They were 0-12 to 0-8 ahead at half-time having carved out two goal chances. Sticky Wexford defending denied them in both instances.
Jake Morris was hooked by Eoin Ryan and Mark Fanning controlled his follow-up effort, while Morgan was later hooked by Richie Lawlor.
Those two met again for the penalty incident as Morgan claimed Morris’ high ball and was taken down by Lawlor. McCarthy stepped up and fired it to that familiar bottom right-hand corner.
Keith Rossiter made five changes from Wexford’s heavy defeat to Cork and will be most pleased with how his young team fought to the very end, tagging on four consecutive points in stoppage time.
Free-taker Cian Byrne finished with 0-7 while debutant Darren Codd and Jack Redmond, on his first start, stood out.
“The performance last weekend didn’t justify the work the players had put in,” said Rossiter.
“It was like a first round of a Walsh Cup type of match from us. We were running over balls, mishandling balls, misplacing passes, not coming off the shoulder, not doing support play.
“It was like we’d just returned after Christmas. The players themselves weren’t happy and I wasn’t happy.
“Today was about getting a bit of momentum, getting a bit of fight back into it, supporting each other, getting the handling right, and I think we did that.
“We got caught with the penalty and that was probably the difference in the end.” He will hope to get at least one of Lee Chin, Damien Reck, or Cathal Dunbar back on the field for the visit of Kilkenny to Wexford Park on Saturday.
After a losing start, Rossiter isn’t fixated on the relegation battle.
“I’m not worried at all about it. We’re trying to rebuild a squad, find new players, and whatever way the results go, the results go.
“Of course, I want to win every game and I’d be disappointed getting beat but I want performances.
“If we can get five or six guys that’ll strengthen our panel for championship, I don’t think anyone remembers the league after the first round of the championship. We’ll get there eventually.”
D McCarthy 1-7 (1-0 penalty, 0-6 frees); W Connors (0-3); E Connolly, J Morris (0-2 each); M Breen, G O’Halloran, C Morgan, A Ormond, J Forde, J McGrath, O O’Donoghue, J Ryan (0-1 each).
C Byrne (0-7, 6 frees); J Redmond (0-3, 1 free); M Fanning (2 frees), Darren Codd (0-2 each); R Lawlor, C Hearne, C Flood, C Byrne-Dunbar, S Roche (0-1 each).
R Shelly; M Breen, E Connolly, R Doyle; S Kennedy, B McGrath, G O’Halloran; C Morgan, W Connors; A Tynan, A Ormond, J Keller; J Forde, D McCarthy, J Morris.
O O’Donoghue for Keller (h-t), J McGrath for Ormond (46), C Bowe for Forde (51), M Corcoran for Kennedy (59), J Ryan for Tynan (65).
M Fanning; E Ryan, S Donohoe, N Murphy; R Lawlor, C Foley, C McGuckin; C Hearne, David Codd; Darren Codd, J Redmond, T Kinsella; Cian Byrne, S Casey, C Flood.
J O’Connor for Kinsella (34), C Byrne-Dunbar for David Codd (39), M Dwyer for Flood (51), S Roche for Casey (61), Cillian Byrne for Cian Byrne (64).
J Murphy (Limerick).
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