More needed but a solid starter

By Shane Brophy

It wasn’t perfect by any means but getting the win is good enough for starters for Tipperary.

Whether Tipperary would still have gone onto win the game without being awarded the controversial penalty and the sin-binning of Clare’s Aidan McCarthy is debatable, but to their credit they made the best of the big break that came their way, outscoring Clare 2-4 to 0-2 in that period which proved to be definitive.

However, it is hard to shake off the feeling that Tipperary were still a little laboured in some of what they did, despite scoring 3-23 and having chances for another three or four goals. However, it’s better to have plenty to improve on than being the finished article on your first day out.

Certainly, the game was played on Clare’s terms for the most part, including the final quarter where a ten-point lead was whittled down to four and but a fine save by Barry Hogan from Mark Rodgers, and a timely intervention by Padraic Maher to cut out a pass intended for Tony Kelly, Tipp could have been in for a very nervy finish.

There was always going to be some element of rust for Tipp to overcome considering they hadn’t played in three weeks, and under a cloud too following the manner of the second half performance against Waterford, while Clare came in buoyed by beating the same opposition just last week.

The game began at a frantic pace with Tipp and Clare going score for score but there was an edginess to Tipperary defending, and that rustiness certainly manifested itself for a number of early Clare scores, including Ian Galvin’s goal admittedly helped by Padraic Maher slip.

The Clare forwards always looked a threat but as the game wore on, the Tipp defence slowly got a grip with Barry Heffernan playing Aron Shanagher very well. While there was criticism in some quarters for Heffernan standing off his man, it was the ideal way to play a man whose main strength is turning defenders and if Heffernan got too close, he would make it easy for the Clare forward to do it. Instead, he engaged when Shanagher got possession and forced the Clare forward to shoot which is his weakness, although it ended up working to Clare’s advantage as his miss-hit shot before half-time ended up finding it’s way to the back of the Tipp net via Tony Kelly.

Indeed, it was the only time the Clare star managed to give Cathal Barrett the slip, and that was only because the Holycross man was making an attempt to get to the breaking ball but was beaten to it by David Reidy.

Before the game, the main talking point was where Kelly would play and who would Tipp put on him. As against Waterford, Kelly started at full forward and was immediately picked up by Barrett who was superb throughout. He relishes these contests and restricting Clare’s talisman to 1-1 from play was a win for Tipperary.

However, it could have been different if Barrett had picked up a second yellow card in the second half for a foul on Kelly. Technically it should have been, but Barrett would have been unfortunate as, like last year against Galway at the same venue, he was given a very soft first yellow early in the second period. It’s hard not to feel that Barrett, one of the best man-marking defenders in the game, is being unfairly targeted by officials considering he was booked for persistant fouling, despite that incident being his first foul. Yet he was left walking a tightrope after that and could have been sent off again, despite the strong Clare protestations.

Certainly, the Tipp half back line have had more commanding days, although Seamus Kennedy, Brendan Maher and Ronan Maher came more into the game in the second half, helped by Clare going long with more of their puckouts which played into their hands. Up until that, Clare went short, admittedly allowed to by Tipperary whose full forward line stood off and allowed the Banner to work out from the back and they did so a little too easily in the first half. This was what made the selection of Noel McGrath at midfield strange considering his lack of pace, however, he had his hand in five of Tipperary’s scores, despite not scoring himself.

Certainly, the workrate of man of the match Dan McCormack more than complemented that, as did Michael Breen who was a strong presence dropping back from wing forward. Indeed, his goal on fifteen minutes was a thing of beauty in how he hockey-style controlled the ball to set himself up before the first time finish to the net.

Indeed, the starting line-up was a strange one from what was expcted after the league, more or less going with the tried and trusted, apart from Barry Hogan in goals who more than justified his selection. However, out the field you felt it needed more energy from a player or two trying to prove themselves. In that respect, not starting Alan Flynn or Paddy Cadell were strange calls considering the decent leagues they had in the middle third, with Flynn in particular, being particularly effective off the bench, as was his Kiladangan clubmate Willie Connors who really made things difficult for the Clare defenders by just being a complete nuisance, which is a compliment to his effectiveness.

Up front, the forwards linked up well, despite the quality of ball not being the best at times but it certainly improved in the second half. Seamus Callanan has had bigger scoring days but I’d argue his overall performance against Clare was amongst his best with his sheer workrate and desire, and had a hand in no fewer than five other scores.

We all know what John O’Dwyer and Jake Morris can do in possession and the seven points from play between them was largely done without any fuss. The same goes for Jason Forde who continues to be arguably Tipp’s most important forward with the simplicity of his play, again nailing his placed balls. It can be so easy to take him for granted.

The biggest concern is over the continued poor form of John McGrath. His selection hinted his form in training had picked up, but it didn’t transfer onto the field, as he was a shadow of himself at his best. He is not a quick player by any means, but he looked as if he was running with weights in his boots and whenever he did get near the ball, he wasn’t quick enough to snap it into his hand. It’s poor form going back two years and hoping that it will just click just doesn’t look like happening and that can’t be good if there are players on the bench showing better form but not getting a start.

Overall, while Tipp scored 3-23, you always felt they had to work harder for their scores than Clare, which is credit to their focus in one way, but you’d also like to see them getting easier looks at goal, aided by using the ball better out of defence, as well as offering Barry Hogan more options for puckouts into space.

However, in a sprint championship where the shortest route to glory is the best one, getting through to a Munster Final is all that mattered.