Crucial win over Kilkenny maintains Tipperary's underage hurling progress
Another welcome sign of budding generation of hurlers on the move
I wouldn’t over-egg it too much, but for the moment Nowlan Park has become a happy hunting ground for Tipperary’s hurlers.
Hot on the heels of last year’s unforgettable minor win, the Under 20s delivered another memorable moment on Saturday last in James Nowlan’s field.
In many ways it was an essential win for Tipperary, one that adds substance to the county’s underage resurgence of recent years. Comparisons with the 2006-2010 era are surely premature, but thus far the indications are positive. There’s a budding generation of hurlers on the move and let’s see where it leads.
Tipperary’s twelfth All-Ireland title in the grade was every bit as emphatic as the nine-point margin would suggest. Kilkenny laboured throughout against a slicker, more resourceful Tipperary combination.
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The tone was set early when the hosts failed to impact with the backing of a strong wind. Two adrift turning to face the elements in the second half was an uncomfortable position for the locals and those second half goals really rammed home advantage as Tipperary took this one in style.
Opting to face the elements in the first half was an interesting choice by the Tipperary management. If you get hit by an early barrage it can be problematic but there is the counter argument that it takes time for teams to settle in an All-Ireland final, and having the wind at your back as you push for home in the second half can be more beneficial.
Kilkenny got ahead with the first two flags from the faultless free-taking of Michael Brennan but Tipperary were soon into their stride. Cathal O’Reilly won his first tussle with Rory Glynn and all around him the defence was coming to terms with the Kilkenny effort. The locals managed a mere three points from first half play, which was a paltry return given the strength of that wind.
The Tipperary attack was moving with menace. Cathal English was impressing and Oisín O’Donoghue was soon proving a handful for his marker. Conor Martin too was on form and Paddy McCormack was offering serious threat.
One sensed that Kilkenny were a little spooked by Tipp’s forward potential. Playing Jeff Neary as a sweeper, despite the strength of the wind, was highly questionable. They feared goals and, in the process, failed to build any cushion from which to attack the second half.
Kilkenny laboured to get fast ball into their inside attack where Marty Murphy offered serious threat at number 14. The full forward had one snap shot at goal, which Eoin Horgan batted away capably. We were happy that the supply lines were faltering.
Against those three Kilkenny points from play in the first half, Tipperary shot seven into the wind. We had six scorers in the first half; Kilkenny had three. Two of the Kilkenny points came from penalised hand-passes; there was another in the second half. Kilkenny’s hand-passing was, apparently, perfect. Indeed.
Anyway, Tipperary’s half-time position was promising, though nothing could be presumed. The third quarter stayed in the mix, with Tipperary holding a 3/4 point advantage until the first goal shifted the balance.
Paddy McCormack pounced off an Oisín O’Donoghue feed following a turnover; the finish was quality. The second McCormack goal really signposted Tipperary for home and the third from Conor Martin was the signal for many to head for the exits.
Once again it came off pressure play from Tipperary, with Cathal O’Reilly lending an attacking hand to feed Darragh McCarthy. The Toomevara man might easily have taken his point but the killer instinct kicked in. He carried forward before offloading a perfect pass to Martin, who was really clinical with the finish.
The rest was playing out time with a game of backs and forwards. The best advice is never to defend a lead but I suppose the margin was so wide it was understandable that Tipperary retreated en masse to play out the added time. It allowed Kilkenny some consolation, with Marty Murphy sniping a late goal. It mattered not because this was a comprehensive win by Tipperary.
In many ways it was an untypical Kilkenny display in the manner in which they stood off Tipperary. With wind backing you would expect Kilkenny to push up on their opponents. Instead, Eoin Horgan had a perfect record on his puckouts in the first half, with Tipperary retaining possession on every one, at least initially.
Kilkenny’s limitations aside, this was a much-improved Tipperary performance from the Munster final. There was less short passing and, crucially, less inclination to take the ball into contact, which is how turnovers occur. Greater directness and more frequent ball into the forwards paid dividend. The lessons from earlier games appear to have been learned.
It was a comprehensive, hard-grafting team effort with all involved playing a part. Eoin Horgan had no chance with the goal that whizzed past him and otherwise had a faultless display between the posts.
The defence was outstanding. We need reminding that Cathal O’Reilly and Adam Ryan were stepping up from minor last year, so their progress has been rapid. O’Reilly in particular delighted the Tipperary following with his tidy interceptions and offloads.
Sam O’Farrell was a real leader in that defence, combining ball-winning with sensible distribution and hitting two points for good measure. His presentation speech too was on cue, confidently delivered and hitting a touching note with his Dillon Quirke recall.
Jim Ryan is a steady influence at centre back, unfussy but effective. Podge O’Dwyer came strong especially in the second half.
Aaron O’Halloran had the stiffest job of them all on Marty Murphy but did well, even playing through the pain barrier in the second half when he took a heavy fall.
Joe Egan and Adam Daly at midfield both contributed their parts, Daly once more on the score card with a point in each half.
Upfront Paddy McCormack took top honours and man of the match with 2-1, as well as a few wides and several assists. He’ll surely be on Liam Cahill’s radar.
There were big displays also from Conor Martin, scorer of 1-4, and Cathal English, especially in the first half. David Costigan too played his part and Darragh McCarthy’s input is perhaps underrated because he didn’t score from play. He still put in a heavy shift, regularly working back into defence and showing his unselfishness as a supplier of possession for others.
Because the team was going so well the substitutes didn’t get in until late and had little time to impress.
A worrying statistic from Kilkenny’s perspective is the fact that since their last All-Ireland senior win in 2015 they’ve now lost 10 out of 11 All-Ireland finals across the three grades. They’re getting to finals but seem to have lost the winning knack.
For Tipperary this was a crucial win in order to maintain underage progress. Already a significant cohort of these players have made an impact at senior level and the hope is that others will soon follow. Talent seems to come and go in cycles and all indications suggest that Tipperary at the moment has a rich vein bubbling up through the underage ranks. Long may it continue.
Meanwhile, we take a watching brief on provincial final weekend. The Munster decider has obvious attraction for all hurling followers.
Limerick have retaken championship favouritism, so Cork have some ground to make up following their last visit to the Gaelic Grounds. It’s a fascinating prospect.
Tipperary eyes will be closely following other events too. Laois and Kildare face off in the McDonagh Cup final. We play the losers the following week, so that means a trip to either Newbridge or Portlaoise.
And we’ll have an obvious interest in the Leinster decider. We’ll expect to meet the losers from that in an All-Ireland quarter-final. The bookies suggest it will be Galway because Kilkenny are hotly fancied at odds of 4/7. We’ll see.