‘Goals cost us’, but O’Shea remains optimistic
Tipperary have now just one win from three games and travel to Salthill for a crucial battle with Galway.
“We’re not too disappointed in there, would you believe,” said O’Shea. “We’re disappointed we lost but we feel we had a lot of chances; 15 wides, four into the keeper’s hands, two or three goal chances, two good saves by their keeper. We can turn all that over, if that is turned around.”
Goals were the difference. Four for Clare, none for Tipperary and there was no hiding from those fatal flaws in the home defence.
“We were opened up, trying to do some work on that, but it happens sometimes. We’re still trying to work hard, trying to improve. Last year we won games but it didn’t tell us where we were in terms of personnel, this year this tells us exactly where we are and how much work we have to do, the positives we can take from it.”
And positive Eamonn was trying to be, refusing to acknowledge any pressure, his words here perhaps more for his players than for the notoriously impatient Tipp supporters.
“There’s always pressure in this job, that’s why I love it. Look, it’s a hurling match. We’ll do our best next Sunday in Galway. Pressure? I don’t know, I don’t feel it to be honest, I have a lot of things to be pressurised about and this isn’t one.
“I’m trying to get the lads to enjoy what they’re doing and if they do enjoy it, they can play better, that’s really the task for me, to make sure when they come out they can play with a bit more freedom. We’d be disappointed but certainly wouldn’t feel that we’re out yet, in any sense, even though the better team won today.”
O’Shea does have good reason to be optimistic though. Tipperary managed 20 scores, created almost as many scoring opportunities again, and this in a situation when he had lost the in-form Seamus Callanan from the attack (a goal hat-trick last time out, against Kilkenny) and his half-back defensive linchpin Padraic Maher. There are others also who have yet to feature in this league so that, as he said, all is not lost.
“Seamus has a quad strain, Padraic got a knock in the head last week. Conor only came back last week so we decided to see what would happen during the game. That decision [didn’t start, brought on just before half-time] was tactical. If I get back some of my injured players I’d be very happy and some of them are on the way back.
“Eoin [Kelly] should be back next week, back in training on Tuesday. Conor will benefit from this game, Paudie [Maher] will be back next week. I don’t want to use any excuses, the team that went out today was the team we picked. We’re trying things, I’d be very happy with the guys who went out in terms of trying to play.
“The goals went in and that’s ultimately what cost us.
“The team that was out there was our team, we have to give a lot of young players chances. We’re trying to change things as well; sometimes it goes well for young fellas, sometimes not, but I was very happy with the second half. That’s the most positive thing I can say.”
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