Tipp’s Hurling squad is building depth
By Liam Hogan
A good opening twenty minutes and a strong finish helped Tipperary defeat Dublin in their opening game of the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday.
Despite a bumpy period in the middle third of the game, when Dublin outscored Tipp 0-13 to 1-5 between the 21st & 51st minutes, it could be said that the eleven-point winning margin was more than satisfactory.
Tipp have found the Sky Blues a difficult team to beat in recent times as the last thirteen encounters saw Tipp win seven to Dublin’s five, and there was one meeting which ended all square.
On the back of the disappointing defeat to Galway in last year’s All-Ireland quarter final, the opening game in the hurling league was important was important to win. A strong team was selected by Liam Cahill despite including only three players with vast experience new captain Ronan Maher, plus John McGrath and Jake Morris. The remainder were less experienced in Rhys Shelly, Johnny Ryan, Craig Morgan, Bryan O’Mara, Conor Bowe, Eoghan Connolly, Gearoid O’Connor, Alan Tynan, and Sean Ryan, while Robert Byrne and Willie Connors back after a year’s absence with Andrew Ormond the sole league debutante.
Many well-known faces were off duty including Cathal Barrett, Michael Breen, Dan McCormack, Conor Stakelum, Jason Forde, and Noel McGrath, while Seamus Kennedy made the bench to join other experienced men like Barry Hogan, Patrick Maher, and Mark Kehoe.
Dublin manager Michael Donoghue had a team short a few regulars with just eight of the team that played against Clare in last year’s All-Ireland quarter final.
The sight of Brian Hayes careering sixty metres through the Tipp defence must have caused tremors on the sideline in the early stage, however, it was just a brief scare as Tipp, with the help of a stiff breeze, took off like a train and scored six unanswered points as they out hurled Dublin with style and poise as their crisp movement and accurate passing cut the home side open.
It was double scores (0-6 to 0-3) by the tenth minute, but Tipp were really flying and when Eoghan Connolly scored to give Tipp a five point lead for the third time, there were seven Tipp players on the scoresheet including Gearoid O’Connor, plus Willie Connors at midfield. Connolly’s lineball to find Bryan O’Mara which led to Connors scoring was worth the admission fee alone.
Elsewhere, three Tipp defenders scored including Conor Bowe, O’Mara and Craig Morgan plus goalkeeper Rhys Shelly as the Tipp custodian pointed a ninety-five metre free with ease.
Not alone were Tipp finding their men with ease, but their defence gave little away as Craig Morgan, Bryan O’Mara, Robert Byrne, Conor Bowe, Eoghan Connolly and Willie Connors dominating possession with the latter winning crucial turnovers as Alan Tynan scored to make it 0-11 to 0-4 after fourteen minutes.
However, the tide began to turn. Tipp became slack in their approach with their wides tally increasing while the concession of frees was on the increase. Dublin had their moments. Were it not for the work-rate of their full backline plus that of Daire Gray and Conor Donohoe that Tipp’s lead would be far greater.
Cian O’Sullivan was Dublin’s best man in the front eight and his accuracy from frees was crucial. Midfielder Jake Malone scored to make it 0-15 to 0-8 just seconds after Rhys Shelly had a moment of despair as he mishandled a dropping ball and needed Craig Morgan to save off the line. But despite the near misses the half time scoreline still looked good, 0-17 to 0-8.
Dublin delayed their return to action for the second half, and it did them no harm as they hit the ground running with Cian O’Sullivan (free) and an unmarked Diarmuid O Dulaing scoring a point each with ninety seconds.
Tipp continued to lapse in concentration as the concession of frees and lose marking allowed Dublin to cut the margin to six after just four minutes. Tipp needed a source of comfort, and they received it when Sean Ryan lost his marker, thanks to a well-placed delivery from Craig Morgan, and the Templederry clubman had time and space to find the back of the net.
That goal should have been enough to send Tipp on the road to a comfortable victory, but Dublin continued to fight on, and Cian O’Sullivan was excellent from placed balls while Fergal Whitley scored two great points from play as Dublin outscored Tipp 0-6 to 0-1 leaving the deficit at four with seventeen minutes remaining.
Mention of the concession of frees, which was worrying, but in fairness at least four of them were brought about after referee Shane Hynes was strict on the handpass rule. He penalised Dublin on two occasions but the frequency in which he penalised on the handpass may have caught Tipp off-guard.
Just as well that the Tipp inside backline of Johnny Ryan, Ronan Maher and the very busy Craig Morgan were able to cover off any problems. Bryan O’Mara was the busiest of the half backline, but Conor Bowe and Robert Byrne also did well, curbing Dublin to just four points from play over the seventy minutes.
The introduction of Darragh Stakelum and Mark Kehoe brought some freshness to Tipp’s play and when Gearoid O’Connor scored a sideline ball in the 54th minute, quickly followed by a point from play, it was Tipp’s first back-to-back scores since the 34th minute, and it began a takeover which was enhanced by Jake Morris scoring a great goal in the 58th minute; Willie Connors providing the excellent assist.
After the Nenagh man added two quick points to establish a ten-point advantage the game was pretty much decided. Dublin’s only threat thereafter was a shot from Sean Gallagher, but Shelly was equal to the challenge.
When the Tipp management review this game, they can’t but be pleased with the way they played when they were on the top. The concession of frees should be a worry but it’s worth returning to the number of times which the referee pulled them for technical infringements, such as throwing. Full marks to the ref for doing do. The handpass rule could have a big bearing on the games throughout the remainder of the league.