Tipperary's Bubbles O'Dwyer could draw gasps of amazement with his unique bag of tricks

As we watch on with Waterford and Cork preparing to square up in a league final at the Stadium this evening, Saturday - following semi-finals of contrasting character - it seems an appropriate time to cast a cold eye on our own whereabouts in the hurling universe, as Colm Bonnar readies the troops for the start of the championship.
The announcement during the week that Bubbles O’Dwyer won’t be part of the championship panel serves to further underline the changing face of the Tipperary senior hurling team. A new era is upon us, one lacking the optimism that characterised the past 13 years or so.
Bubbles’ absence this year will be deeply regretted by the fans. He had that rare capacity to draw gasps of amazement from the crowd with his unique bag of tricks. Given that he’ll be 31 next September, the fear is that this may well mark the end of his inter-county career.
I must admit I was somewhat surprised when Colm Bonnar announced his initial panel and Bubbles seemed to be cut adrift, apparently on the basis that he was being given time to recover from injury and get in shape. Others recuperating from injury in the past would still have been regarded as panellists. All players are different and Bubbles, I suspect, more than anyone would need the collective support of a panel to get back into the groove, so I had an ominous feeling all spring about how this would likely play out.
He’s been on the Tipp panel since 2013 and scored a grand total of 14 goals and 227 points in that period. The one that Hawkeye denied him in 2014 would have been the most famous of the lot. Tipperary may have produced better all-round players over the years but did any have better hands than Bubbles?
Most championship previews in the coming weeks will probably rank Tipperary in the bottom two in Munster, beside Clare but behind Limerick, Waterford and Cork. That will be the accepted wisdom following the league series of games where Tipperary were noticeably underwhelming. It’s a judgment that’s hard to challenge, based on the known evidence.
With the top three teams from the pool of five getting out of Munster, in theory you need to win at least two matches to make the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. We might expect to beat Clare at home in the second round, though there’s nothing assured about that.
At the moment we’re listed as 2/1 outsiders to beat Waterford in the opening round at Walsh Park and we’ll also be underdogs against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds and Cork at the Stadium. As well as beating Clare, we’ll need to take down one of the Limerick-Waterford-Cork trinity if we’re to progress and you’ll get generous odds on that happening at the moment.
In fairness to Colm Bonnar, he’s been dealt a rough hand in his first year as manager with a long list of players either retired or unavailable for various reasons. The retirements of Brendan Maher and Paudie Maher have left two gaping holes in defence. How do you replace two generational players such as these? Answer: you don’t.
James Quigley seems destined to fill one of the gaps at number three. He’s a player who slips under the radar in most games because of the quiet, unfussy way he goes about his business. He does the basics well, marking tightly, spoiling the opponent and passing off possession cleverly. His attitude in training is said to be exemplary.
So far so good but I guess the real test will come on championship days when both player and ball are at top pace and reactions are fully tested. For the moment he seems the best option for the edge of the square.
Craig Morgan looks set on present trends to be a likely number four. He’s had a reasonable league, very strong in patches, at other times less so. He was turned a few times in the Antrim game, something that’s always problematic for a corner back.
Brian McGrath, for instance, is paying the price for a perceived lack of pace, as exposed by one Stephen Bennett run in the Waterford game.
On the positive side Cathal Barrett is in fine form at number two but we’re still likely to have some rookies on that full line. Incidentally, Brian Hogan seems to be getting the nod for goalkeeping in the battle of the Hogans.
Ronan Maher will likely be the central cog on the half back line, with some debate around his flankers. Seamus Kennedy has the experience, and indeed the pace, to fill one of the wing positions. Robert Byrne has been given his chance on the other side where he’s done well overall, though inclined to pick up yellow cards for overzealousness in the tackle, something that needs curbing. Incidentally I’ve seen criticism of him for batting out the ball. Fair enough if possession is easily available but in other situations I’d prefer to see the ball batted out rather than breaking behind, which is a forward’s dream.
Dillon Quirke made an impression at wing back too during the league. He has the athleticism to get forward, which seems to be a ploy of the new management. Eoghan Connolly is probably worth more exposure in this zone and the likes of Alan Flynn might come into the mix also for either half back or midfield.
On recent evidence the management seems to favour Barry Heffernan at midfield rather than wing back. Among the other options for eight and nine are Dan McCormack and Michael Breen. Paddy Caddell has disappointed but it can take players time to adjust to senior inter-county. In any case it’s a very fluid area, with lots of flux in the modern game.
The most impressive player from the batch of newbies during the league has, undoubtedly, been Mark Kehoe. The Kilkenny game aside, he’s brought his Fitzgibbon Cup form to the county team and he’ll surely be among the first fifteen names for Walsh Park on April 17.
Jason Forde and Jake Morris will also be on the team. With Seamus Callanan now likely to miss out, the form of John McGrath will be crucial. Noel McGrath is also in the mix, whether as starter or reinforcement during the game. Conor Bowe is another who made a favourable impression during the league so he’ll surely feature at some stage.
The return of Bonner Maher is welcome at a time of many withdrawals. His lack of match practice is a drawback so I suspect he’ll be kept in reserve to be introduced as a (hopefully) impact sub. Paul Flynn, Ger Browne and Conor Stakelum may also get game time during the round robin process.

Above: The return of Patrick Bonner Maher to the Tipperary panel is a bonus at a time when many other experienced players have left the squad

Ultimately it will be a matter of getting the mix right and we can expect a number of championship debutants over the series of games. Expectations are low so the immediate target has to be to get out of Munster – anything else will be a bonus.
Meanwhile we’ll watch the all-Munster league final with interest. There’s no disputing Cork and Waterford were the best performing sides over the span of league games and their meeting now in the decider is an exciting prospect. Cork are marginal – very marginal – favourites but this is essentially a 50/50 contest, down to the vagaries of the day.
Waterford’s clobbering of Wexford in the semi-final was a sight to behold. This was emphatic fare, the sheer pace, power and panache of the Deise making Darragh Egan’s side look second rate all over. Hard to imagine that a team, unbeaten thus far, could look so inadequate. When you couple this with their slump to Dublin in the Walsh Cup earlier it suggests there’s something fickle at the heart of this Wexford side.
Hard to imagine too that Waterford were without the likes of Conor Prunty, Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron and Calum Lyons, who made his return as a substitute. Yet the reinforcements put on such a sterling performance. It speaks of panel depth, something Liam Cahill and colleagues have targeted during this league.
The dismissal of Austin Gleeson was the one blot on the day. His offence was on the milder end of the spectrum, more silly than serious, but he has form in this regard and it’s a trait that I’m sure will frustrate Liam Cahill. With Gleeson on board this Saturday the odds might slightly favour Waterford; without him, and his present form, the scales tip marginally Cork’s direction.
The Rebels’ win over Kilkenny was notable for its manner more than anything else. They were under the cosh early on and didn’t hit the front until the game was in the final phase. Yet the quality of that final drive, where they withstood Kilkenny’s best and pushed on decisively to close out the match, indicated a new-found resolve in this team. Coupled with their abrasive display against Limerick earlier, it suggests a tougher mentality this year that previously.
The last of Waterford’s three league titles came in 2015 when they beat Cork in the final; the last of The Rebels’ 14 wins came in 1998, when they beat Waterford in the decider. Saturday then represents the best of three for bragging rights. For different reasons I suspect they’ll both go all out, which should make for a cracking game.
P.S. Good luck to Clonoulty Rossmore’s junior B team, who’ve been scripting their own stunning drama over recent weeks and now play the final act against Cappataggle of Galway today, Saturday.

Semple Stadium defends decision not to allow people onto the pitch on game days

"The greatest risks to patrons at a game occur when they leave the safety of their spectator area and enter the pitch, which is reserved for the players and match officials only" - Con Hogan.