Great rivals go in search of badly needed win
TIPPERARY v KILKENNY
Semple Stadium, Thurles
Sunday 24th February
Throw-in @ 2.00pm
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
Any game between Tipperary and Kilkenny doesn't have to sell itself.
Over the last decade, the sides have produced numerous special games in both league and championship, even if it is the cats that tend to come out the right side of the result in most of them.
And we are set to get another one of them next Sunday in Thurles in round 4 of the Allianz League because of the circumstances both sides find themselves in.
Following opening round victories, both sides come into this game off the back of back-to-back losses and a third consecutive defeat, even at this time of the year, could be detrimental to each sides long term prospects.
At the moment, it is about getting a win that will ensure a place in the league quarter finals and falling into a relegation playoff, which is utterly meaningless this year as all it will do is determine a counties seeding for the new league format coming on stream in 2020. However, being involved in such a game would have negative connotations and neither side wants that at this time.
For Tipperary, the pressure is greater this Sunday as it is their second and final home game before they travel to Cork for the final round. Off the back of losses to Limerick and Wexford, Liam Sheedy will be keen to stop the rot and expect the Premier County to he fresh and firing as they were in the opening night home win over Clare when they were purposeful and on the front foot.
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