PREVIEW: Tipperary hurlers looking for first win over Waterford since 2020

National Hurling League Round 5 Preview

Tipperary vs Waterford in FBD Semple Stadium

Saturday, March 11th @ 7.30

The recent upturn in form of the Tipperary hurlers will face its firmest test to date with the visit of Davy Fitzgerald’s Waterford side this Saturday night in FBD Semple Stadium.

Three wins from three can’t be argued with at this point, despite the contention of whether different teams are really putting their full weight behind these fixtures, but in comparison to this stage last year, it can’t be denied that the mood music is a lot easier on the ears for the Tipperary hurlers.

However, with the bear pit of the Munster championship on the horizon, it will be the clashes against provincial rivals in this league which will bare the most weight when trying to judge the progress being made so far, and with a first year manager in the form of Davy FItzgerald coming to town, both teams will want to lay down a marker.

Fitzgerald is back in charge of the Deise for his second stint and it hasn’t exactly been a second coming of any great note with his first three results all showing signs of inconsistency and ill-discipline which has marred two out of the three league games they have played so far.

This will be a concern for the average Waterford supporter but there is no doubt that Fitzgerald will have targeted this game from the outset, especially owing to the fact that Waterford’s home games in the Munster championship will be in the Thurles venue.

In Tipperary’s case it will be the biggest test that Cahill has had to date as he is visited by his former charges on Saturday evening, and he will know that it will be important to get a win to keep the feel good factor going in the right direction, especially given the injuries that are blighting the squad at present.

The games against Laois and Kilkenny were very impressive from a Tipp viewpoint with ravenous work rate and score taking a real hallmark of the games, but it was slightly less productive in Round 3 against the Dubs.

Dublin didn’t make the most of their chances on the night and only for some poor shooting it could have been a tighter match.

The Dubs had 12 more attempts at goal than Cahill’s team and they were given far too much space and time to get a look at the posts on occasion, especially in the first half.

At this time of the year it really is difficult to gauge the performances of individual teams as each county set up will be in different stages of physical preparation in an attempt to peak in time for championship.

Certainly, Tipp looked far less mobile and intense in the Dublin game and this may be down to a heavy training schedule coming into the latter stages of the league, so if Cahill can get back to the levels shown in the first two rounds - particularly in the Kilkenny game - it would probably highlight the fact of intense physical work.

In terms of personnel, there is an expectation that Cathal Barrett will be okay for action by the time the opening Munster championship match against Clare rolls around.

Cahill may opt to rest Conor Stakelum and Brian McGrath following their withdrawals against Dublin, after admitting they may have been brought back into the action a little early and he will be desperate to avoid any more injuries to players for the remainder of the campaign.

It will be interesting to see if Cahill puts Bryan O’Mara back at full back once again after the Holycross/Ballycahill man’s excellent debut in the position against the Dubs, while Mikey Breen has played almost every game in the position and didn’t really stick out at number five in that game.

It is only the league, but a win here would give great confidence to the panel while also guaranteeing a league semi-final spot and that should be a goal for this panel, which has been deprived of latter stage action in any competition in the last few years.

We will know a lot more about these players come Saturday night with throw-in at 7.30pm.