Following a 'terrible game in-house' Tipp got match-ups right to claim All-Ireland title

OUT OF THEIR SYSTEMS: Tipperary's Eoghan Connolly spoke about an in-house A v B game where they were well beaten by the B team. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Eoghan Connolly revealed Tipperary’s A team were heavily beaten by the B team in their last training game before Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

On Liam Cahill and Mikey Bevans’s instructions, the A team operated with an extra player in defence last weekend. However, the initial results in FBD Semple Stadium did not suggest they were going to be bringing the Liam MacCarthy Cup back there.

“Liam and Mikey put in massive work in the background, we just got told last week as to what you were going after,” said Connolly. “We actually trained last weekend and it didn’t actually work out for us, we had a terrible game in-house, the A versus B. But we got our match-ups right on Sunday and thankfully got the result.” 

The Cashel King Cormacs man said the margin was “an awful score as well. There was wicked heat inside in Thurles last weekend and it was probably our first time playing with a plus one in a long time, since the Clare game I think, so it just took us a while to get to grips with it. But even by Friday evening we were training and we couldn’t get enough of it.” 

Connolly was assigned Joe Fogarty in the game and he was on the wrong side of their duel. “He’s sick, he’s actually a carbon copy of Seamus Harnedy. I got an awful licking off him last weekend, I was even half worried as to what my form was at, to be honest.” 

Meanwhile, Tipperary penalty goalscorer Darragh McCarthy said Jason Forde was keen to take the placed ball shot. It is believed the plan was for Forde was to take it but the Toomevara tyro assumed the responsibility.

“I suppose you have to do a bit positive talking to yourself. You have to steel the mind in a way. Three points up, score this and go six up, with a man up as well. There was pressure on that as well. I think Jason wanted a hit it as well, but I said I'd take it off him.

“Jason was getting ratty about it! I said, ‘No, leave it off.’ But Jason said, ‘Go for it.’ That gave me confidence as well to do what I do and stick it.”