No logic in Tipperary holding back against Limerick in big hurling clash

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In the past seven seasons since becoming Limerick hurling manager, John Kiely has faced Tipperary on 12 occasions in league and championship. His record reads eight wins, two losses and two draws. Those stats illustrate starkly who’s been top dog in this particular rivalry since Kiely’s arrival.

That’s the backdrop to the latest clash of these Munster neighbours when the teams line-up at Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Saturday evening. Unbeaten in their games so far, this clash promises to be the most telling of the series. For Tipperary in particular it’s an opportunity to measure progress against the reigning league, Munster and All-Ireland champions.

The bookies offer Tipperary little comfort. Limerick are quoted at odds of 4/9; for Tipperary the betting is 9/4. Those figures reflect current perceptions as much as past evidence.

The teams met at the semi-final stage of the league last year. Tipperary were coming off an unbeaten run in the regulation rounds and put in a decent shift before eventually going under by six points. Jason Forde hit 0-14 of our 25-point total.

Our solitary league win against Limerick under John Kiely was in 2018. It was another league semi-final where we got through by 2-31 to 1-31 following extra time. Jason Forde was again top scorer on 2-11, which included eight points from frees. Kilkenny had our measure in the final.

In all of this people will be conscious of another date, one edging ever closer. On April 28 we travel to the Gaelic Grounds for our championship opener. Limerick under Kiely have had our measure so anything that reverses that trend, even in a league round, will be welcome ahead of bigger days.

It was expected that panel numbers would be cut last week but so far there’s no official announcement on that front. Some names have been mentioned in passing but a panel list has yet to appear. Perhaps this week.

Inevitably, many of the triallists will not make the final cut but remain instead as part of a supplementary panel in the background. Our pool of talent isn’t as deep as some would suggest. Ultimately, you’ll be back to the known regulars plus a handful of others who will, hopefully, nudge their way onto the panel.

As ever, team selection this weekend will be indicative of current thinking. There’s no logic in holding back at this stage; we have to go with maximum available strength.

The goalkeeping issue is unclear. Many see Barry Hogan as the safer option but Rhys Shelly has his backers too. Enda Dunphy is the third choice.

On the evidence so far this year, Ronan Maher appears to be the preferred choice for full back. Robert Byrne has been given time at number six, where he’s been steady if unspectacular. Bryan O’Mara has spent time of the wing but, ultimately, may be earmarked for the central role at some stage.

Michael Breen is seen as a man-marker, like Dan McCormack who filled that role quite effectively last year against Limerick where he manned up to Gearoid Hegarty.

Looking at all those variables you could end up with a defensive formation of Barrett, Maher and Morgan on the full line with O’Mara, Byrne and Bowe on the half line where Michael Breen, Seamus Kennedy and Dan McCormack offer further options.

You could probably list five or six possibilities for midfield. Breen, McCormack and Kennedy might come into play there, as well as Noel McGrath, Willie Connors, Eoghan Connolly (recovered from injury), Alan Tynan and Conor Stakelum.

Midfield choices may then impact on the attack where Jason Forde, Jake Morris and Gearoid O’Connor look sure bets to start. John McGrath too is in the frame, though Mark Kehoe is out of the reckoning after that knee injury he sustained against Westmeath; it proved more serious than initially thought. He’s expected to be out for around four weeks.

One is always looking for new dimensions to a team to supplement what was shown previously. Teams are in a constant state of flux, so nothing stays static.

In that regard the placing of Conor Bowe at wing back has been an interesting ploy this year for Tipperary. It certainly fits the modern trend of attacking/scoring defenders, one best pioneered perhaps by Limerick with the likes of Diarmuid Byrnes, Declan Hannon and Barry Nash, all of whom are capable of splitting the posts from distance.

Thus far Conor Bowe has done well in the role, his pace being a major asset when he lurches upfield. Incidentally, isn’t it a shame that Ronan Maher hasn’t developed greater accuracy from distance. He’s a fantastic player but wouldn’t it be another huge weapon in his armoury if he could regularly hit the target from eighty, ninety or more yards. The distance is no issue but he regularly baulks at taking on the shot because his conversion rate is too low.

The other notable development for Tipperary this year is the progress being made by Gearoid O’Connor. I first saw him in action for Templemore CBS in his Harty Cup days. At that stage he was seen as something of a gentle giant. Since then, the image has adjusted as he developed as a player. The giant tag still applies but he’s surely shed the gentle adjective. He’s more than able to hold his own in the rough-and-tumble of inter-county hurling and has made huge strides as an aerial ball-winner, scorer from play and free-taker.

Incidentally, having two free-takers of the quality of Jason Forde and Gearoid O’Connor on the team is described by some as a problem for Liam Cahill. I see it as a luxury.

I’m unsure what approach Limerick will take to Saturday’s game. The drive-for-five brings its own pressure and I was guessing that they’d take a low-key attitude to the league, hoping to time their best form for the summer championship. Yet their lin-out in the last game against Dublin raised some eyebrows, not least with the very questionable inclusion of Kyle Hayes. I’ll be even more surprised if that’s repeated on Saturday. To err once is human; to err twice is idiotic, to quote one version of an old saying.

Against Dublin, John Kiely reintroduced many regulars as a complement to the younger element such as Donncha O’Dalaigh, Shane O’Brien and Adam English. It was a mix that embarrassed the Dubs. I suspect we’ll see a similar blending on Saturday.
Anyway, it’s a big game. A Tipperary loss here will leave the team relying on a Limerick win in their final outing versus Galway in order to guarantee a semi-final place. It’s a scenario to be avoided, if possible.

Finally, as a back reference to Congress, we note the Tipperary presence on Croke Park committees. Johnny Doyle, Holycross/Ballycahill, was appointed to the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC), a body that oversees the running of inter-county fixtures.

Former Tipperary chairman, Michael Bourke, Upperchurch/Drombane, was appointed to the Central Hearings Committee, a group that hears appeals against decisions by other units of the association. It can at times be a controversial body.

Lastly, former Tipperary PRO and current Chairman of the Munster Council, Ger Ryan, has been elected to the three-man Central Referees’ Appointments Committee, the group that appoints all referees for inter-county games, hurling and football. So now we’ll know who to blame!

Anyway, congratulations to all on their appointments. Having a county presence on Croke Park bodies is always important.

P.S. Just been reminded by SO’D that the last time Tipperary played Limerick in a league game in Cork was the 1970/71 final. A late Richie Bennis free won the day (a foretaste of ’73) but Tipperary had their revenge later in the Munster final at Killarney.