Minors in a good place ahead of title defence
Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Preview
By Michael Dundon
CORK v TIPPERARY
Pairc Ui Chaoimh
Sunday 12th May
Throw-in @ 2.00pm
Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick)
As the countdown to Sunday’s Munster Minor Hurling Championship clash with Cork builds up, Tipperary manager Paul Collins and coach Shane McGrath are singing from the same hymn sheet – if Tipperary produce the kind of performance they are capable of, they are a match for anybody.
A taxing campaign with four matches in six weeks kicks off with the visit to Cork on Sunday and all are conscious of the importance of kick-starting the challenge for honours with a win. The management team (also including Ger Ryan (Cappawhite) and Tony Shelly (Killenaule) are happy that their charges are “in a good place” to achieve that victory after a prolonged preparation that saw no less than 76 players involved, before being whittled down to a panel of 33.
Only two of last year’s Munster championship winning team are eligible this year, John Campion and Conor O'Dwuer who have been named captain and vice-captain respectively, but most of the squad have come through the academy system at under fourteen and under sixteen level. While Tipperary’s record against Cork at those levels puts Cork in the driving seat, Paul Collins says that the minor grade “is a different environment as regards training and expectations“.
The Drom & Inch clubman, who was a selector last year under the then manager Tommy Dunne (now with the seniors) found that experience is a great help now that he is at the helm.
“We learned a lot from the round robin series last year and I hope we can use this this year from game to game.
“Our focus is on performance, to bring what we are doing in training into match situations. If we can do that we will be a match for anybody.
“This group of lads have really responded to what we have been asking of them but underage players make mistakes- that is part of their development- and that is why our focus is on the overall performance,” he said.
Full preview in this weeks Nenagh Guardian