Solid start for Tipp despite missed victory opportunity

By Shane Brophy

A draw, a result both managers would have taken prior to the start to get their competitive seasons underway and there was certainly more positives than negatives for both Liam Sheedy and John Kiely to take from Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League opener between Tipperary and Limerick.

Giving up a five-point lead just after the second water-break feels like a disappointment for Tipperary but three minutes into added time they were relieved to hear the final whistle as if there were to be a next score, the likelihood is Limerick would have gotten it.

So, Limerick stretch their unbeaten run over Tipperary to five and certainly the aura of All-Ireland champions was there in all to see in the closing quarter as they once again showed great composure to dig themselves out of a hole, even if they had to call the big guns, Cian Lynch, Gearoid Hegarty and Peter Casey off the bench to ignite the comeback. That confidence and belief is such a potent force, similar to what Kilkenny had in their hay-day over a decade ago.

It was a missed opportunity for Tipperary to have earned a confidence boosting win over the All-Ireland champions but the longer the game went on you sensed winning wasn’t Liam Sheedy’s number one aim as unlike his Limerick counter-part, the Tipp boss largely introduced inexperience, apart from Noel McGrath.

It was similar approach to the one taken in 2018 when then manager Michael Ryan opted not to use Padraic Maher and Noel McGrath off the bench as they lost narrowly to Kilkenny, with on this occasion John McGrath going unused while it is doubtful Padraic Maher would have been sent on but for Bryan O’Mara sustaining an arm injury late in the game.

Tipperary finished with a lot of inexperience, particularly in attack where after the substitutions of Patrick Maher, Niall O’Meara and Willie Connors who all put the Limerick defence under immense pressure, the same aggression wasn’t there after Dillon Quirke, Cian Darcy and Mark Kehoe came on. Quirke in particular, who got the longest run out, struggled to get to the pace of the game making a number of handling errors but these are the growth pains associated with players looking to make an impression.

There wasn’t a lot of experience around them in that final quarter to guide them through with Jake Morris, not that much more experienced himself, with Jason Forde and Michael Breen struggling to influence the game in open play as Limerick gained the upperland. Indeed, but for Forde Tipperary would have been in difficulty as he managed all bar six of his sides total of twenty points, with twelve coming from places balls.

Until recently, it was argued that Tipperary relied on too many scores from play and didn’t earn enough frees but such is the way hurling is developing that space is becoming hard to get, particularly against a Limerick side that give you no time on the ball, pulling players back in numbers from where they counter-attack.

This was a Tipperary performance based on two things, defensive solidity and workrate, basic aspects of any good team and a platform to build on as they look to get sharper in the weeks to come.

When you see manager Liam Sheedy up for it on the side-line, you know he is looking for a little more from his team and get got it with their physicality unsettling Limerick who struggled to get into their rhythm, until Lynch and Hegarty were introduced where their handpassing game gelled a lot better. Prior to that, Tipperary had dominated the second and third quarters when they settled to the task. Early on, Limerick were getting time and space to pick out their deliveries into the full forward line from where David Breen and Seamus Flanagan made early gains.

However, a couple of tactical switches helped to settle things down, particularly moving Dan McCormack to a defensive midfield role, as he does to great success for Borris-Ileigh. From there, it allowed centre back Seamus Kennedy the licence to drift to his left and right to support his wing backs and made some key interventions, one of which led to Jason Forde’s superb point from play on fifteen minutes. Creating a permanent defensive shield role for Dan McCormack is worth considering such is his ability to read the game, added to his physicality, it gives that central area a more secure look to it.

With McCormack in situ, Tipperary attacked the ball with greater gusto with Ronan Maher completing dominating Tom Morrissey while Bryan O’Mara did the same on Conor Boylan, until his late injury. Brian McGrath made just his second senior appearance and while he was under pressure early on, he settled to have a fine game, particularly in the second half where he won some good back in the full back line.

Barry Hogan was the only debutante in the Tipperary line-up and the Kiladangan goalkeeper can be satisfied with his days work, having nothing to do between the posts such was the control of the defence in front of him.

Despite both teams having just three weeks pitch time under their belts, their fitness levels were very good with few players struggling as the game went on with neither manager using their full complement of seven subs, opting to give the optimum game-time for players to work on their match fitness. It is likely to be the same in the games to come but from a Tipperary viewpoint, it was a solid start to the league as they look to build themselves up for the championship which is what they will be ultimately measured on.