Eight hurling championship observations: Limerick ask hard questions but Tipp have right answers

Galway's problem now is the same as it was under the previous two managers: a crippling lack of confidence and a fundamental misunderstanding of structure.

On the day he matched Brendan Cummins' record for championship appearances, Noel McGrath had 13 possessions and immense influence for Tipperary after coming on as a second half substitute against Limerick. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

The hold-out. There is a long list of ways and means to manage the closing minutes of a championship encounter. Last Saturday, Cork deployed every one of them. It wasn’t enough.

Tim O’Mahony’s point in the 66th minute had a 14-man Cork eight up. The anticipated storm was well-weathered; they looked safe. Mark Rodgers missed a subsequent free as the clock continued to tick down. Suddenly, the walls started to shake again.