Tipperary minor hurling team has improved from match to match, says manager James Woodlock

While Tipperary manager James Woodlock is priming his team to have a good cut at winning the county’s 22nd All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship title when they meet Kilkenny in Saturday’s final, he’s also looking at the bigger picture for Tipperary hurling.

It may have been another bleak year for the county’s seniors but the Munster finals won by the Under 20 and Minor teams, as well as both teams’ qualification for All-Ireland finals, suggests that the conveyor belt of underage talent in the county is still rolling along nicely.

“It (the success of the Minors and Under 20s) is badly needed and both teams play really good hurling,” says Woodlock.

“It’s a shot in the arm for Tipperary hurling and we need all these young players coming through for the senior panel in a few years time.

“They’re all getting huge exposure and it will give them great experience. The majority of the Under 20 panel are underage again next year”.

In terms of his own side’s progression to Saturday’s final at UPMC Nowlan Park (5.30), the Drom/Inch man agrees that the team has matured and evolved through the championship, which began with a four-point win over Cork (1-19 to 2-12) back on April 4.

“We’ve had the opportunity to use an awful lot of players and they’ve improved from match to match. We couldn’t ask for any more from them. They’re getting lots of exposure, and have seen the inside of a winning and losing dressing room. That is great experience for them going forward”.

He says that extra-time in the semi-final defeat of Galway had “taken it out” of his players.

“They were tired and it was warm”.

However they were all in good form since then, and the panel has a clean bill of health approaching Saturday’s showpiece.

“They had to dig deep (against Galway) and showed huge character and resilience. When things weren’t going as we would have liked they stayed battling.

“Galway are a good side, they pushed us all the way. They asked a lot of questions of us and we were delighted that the boys found the answers”.

He was particularly impressed by his team’s “intelligent” performance.

“They kept going and going and when they got the openings, the chances came and we moved the ball for the last three scores (which came from Durlas Óg’s Euan Murray, Moycarkey/Borris’ Killian Cantwell and the winner from Durlas Óg player Cillian Monogue).

“There was nothing between the teams, it was just when we got the opportunities we showed real leadership to be able to take them”.

Tipp lost the toss for home venue for the final but a trip into the lion’s den of Nowlan Park doesn’t faze James Woodlock, whose team have already been successful on away soil during the campaign.

“We had to go to Fraher Field (in Dungarvan, against Waterford) and won. We had to go to the Gaelic Grounds (in the Munster final against Clare) and won, and we beat Limerick in Rathkeale. We’re really happy with the venue”.

Their opponents on Sunday have ploughed a similar furrow through the championship. Leinster champions Kilkenny also had to come through the ordeal of extra-time in their semi-final against Clare.

“Kilkenny are battle-hardened too, they’ve come through the same type of championship and are a serious outfit,” says Woodlock.

“They’ve been tipped from way out, before the championship even started, as the team to beat, especially by people who have watched the teams coming up through the underage ranks.

“It’s brilliant for us to be there in the final and to have this opportunity.

“We will go in as underdogs but if we perform we won’t be too far away, although it will take a complete performance (to win),” says the manager.

Saturday’s final will be shown live on TG4 and the referee is Dublin’s Thomas Gleeson.

Finish on the day rules apply.