Tipp have no choice but to hit the ground running

GAA: Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A Preview

By Shane Brophy

GALWAY v TIPPERARY

Pearse Stadium, Salthill

Sunday, 26th January

Throw-in @ 3.45pm

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)

When the ball is thrown in under the new floodlights at Pearse Stadium on Sunday to mark Tipperary’s first competitive game of the new season, it will mark seven months to the day since their disappointing 2024 campaign came to an end.

In the seven months since Clare’s win in Thurles on May 26th last completed a winless Munster Championship campaign, optimism within the county has been low, despite the subsequent Munster under 20 and All Ireland minor successes.

You have to go back to the end of the second rein of Michael ‘Babs’ Keating in 2007 for the last time the fortunes of the county’s senior team have been at such a low going into a new campaign. That proved to be the darkness before the dawn as the arrival of Liam Sheedy heralded a successful fifteen years of success and performances.

This time round, there is no change in management to herald a new era with Liam Cahill tasked with turning fortunes around going into his third year in charge. Much like Liam Sheedy, his success at underage level led to him being the unanimous choice within the county to take on the role in late 2022.

Certainly, his first year proved to be progressive, qualifying out of the Munster bear-pit, but the performances in the losses to Waterford and Galway created doubts going into the off-season, doubts that were exacerbated in the last campaign despite reaching a league semi-final but the manner of the defeat to Clare filtered into the championship where only a backs to the wall performance against Waterford provided any element of pride from a disappointing campaign.

There’s no doubt the pressure is on this year and the management and players have no option but to hit the ground running in the National League. They need wins and performances to rebuild confidence, not just for the players, but also amongst the supporters who will want to get an early feel of what this new look Tipperary squad is all about.

The schedule provides for that as their first two games, on paper are the most winnable, firstly against a Galway side, who themselves are coming in with a point to prove after an equally disappointing 2024 campaign but have All-Ireland winning manager Micheal Donoghue returning, while Tipp’s first home game is against Wexford on Sunday week.

New Look

With the retirements of Patrick Maher and Dan McCormack, Barry Heffernan and Mark Kehoe opting off the panel for the moment, plus the experienced Cathal Barrett deemed surplus to requirements, it is a Tipperary panel that is lacking in experience of winning big games. As well as that, a leadership deficit has emerged following the retirement of some all-time greats in recent years.

In his interview with Tipp FM before Christmas, Liam Cahill identified a number of areas in which he felt his side fell short in last year, one of them being his sides lack of spirit. There is no doubt the manner of the performances in the loss to Limerick and the second half of the Cork game, were not what you would expect from a Liam Cahill managed team going back to his time in charge of the minors.

To get the ship moving in the right direction again, Tipperary need to become hard to beat once again. They only have to look towards their minor counterparts from last year for inspiration and what they did to win the All-Ireland Final against Kilkenny. Workrate and total application needs to be in evidence.

To achieve that, Tipperary must be supremely fit and the evidence from the challenge matches so far is that they are much further along in that regard compared to last year. This isn’t saying Tipp were unfit in 2024, but they were a long way short in terms of quickness and speed compared to their Munster rivals, and again from the small sample size so far, Tipp are playing at a much higher tempo which you have to in the modern game, both in and out of possession.

Tipperary have been the slowest to adjust to the modern running and short passing game. It wouldn’t be their preferred way of playing but they have to become more comfortable in not only playing that way, but also dealing with it in a defensive sense.

However, Clare and Cork showed last year that there is still scope to play direct with three in the full-forward line and it will be interesting to see if new look Tipp in 2025 go back to playing what suits them best, quick direct ball into the forwards to hugely skilful forwards.

Leadership

As we go into a sixth year since their last All-Ireland title, the experience deficit is growing with just nine of the twenty players that featured in the win over Kilkenny remaining.

Ronan Maher and Seamus Kennedy are the only survivors in defence, and in terms of experience both will be key. Maher is captain but needs a settled role in the team, whether it is full or centre-back, an early call needs to be made on it.

The half-back line would appear to be where he will be station as the early indications are that Eoghan Connolly will be given a chance to build on a promising display against Clare last year at full-back, and certainly he has the physicality and stature to man the pivotal position.

The return to fitness of Seamus Kennedy from a serious knee injury is timely, and the manner in which he has worked his way back would deem him worthy of consideration for captain, as he exudes leadership and a player who leads by example. Ronan Maher and Noel McGrath have been captains in the past, but it would signal a look to the future if a new player was given the role.

Noel McGrath signing up for a sixteenth season was a huge boost to Liam Cahill in terms of backing the management, and his knowhow and experience will be important now more than ever. The Loughmore/Castleiney clubman will be keen to play as much as he can but to get the best out of him come the big games, having him peaking in the championship should be the priority, much like how Clare wrap Shane O’Donnell in cotton wool as much as the can during the league.

Settled Team

Last year, 38 players were used in the National League but at the end of it, we were no close to knowing Tipperary’s best team for the championship. Liam Cahill alluded to that in his radio interview last month that another key focus will be on developing a settled team towards the midway point of the league. This can’t be solely on him and his management, players need to assume responsibility to not only demand opportunities in how they perform in training and challenge matches, but also performing when given that chance when it comes, starting with Galway this Sunday.

Key among that will be settling on a goalkeeper. With the position now so important, particularly in terms of retaining possession from restarts, whether they go with Barry Hogan or Rhys Shelly, they need to choose one, back him in all the games, and give them the confidence and belief to settle in with their full-back line.

There was a feeling that the players got a certain amount of lee-way in certain aspects last year, with Cahill going back to what served him best at underage level as well as his first year as Tipp manager, teak tough and not accepting excuses.

Early season observations

From the challenge games played so far, Tipperary players look extremely lean and fit compared to last year with a focus on high intensity workrate, both on and off the ball.

Bryan O’Mara playing in the full back-line suggests they might be looking at more physical presence in that area, with Craig Morgan being tried in midfield, an area he is comfortable in from club level, and certainly brings a Darragh O’Donovan type a broach that would benefit in if he adapts.

Michael Breen going back to his natural home of wing back certainly plays to his strengths in the modern game while Nenagh Eire Og’s Sam O’Farrell has settled in very well so far.

He, along with Darragh McCarthy, Conor Martin, Aaron O’Halloran and Oisin O’Donoghue were call-ups from under 20 level last year with only Martin not still underage this year.

It will mean a busy period in the spring and early summer for those players as they double-up but Tipp aren’t in a position where they can hold back bright young talents at senior level, and certainly nothing gives supporters enthusiasm than new and up and coming players impressing.

However, they would benefit if the likes of Jason Forde and John McGrath got back to their best, while it is hard to believe that Jake Morris is entering his eighth season on the panel, but still we don’t know his best position, be it in the half or full forward line, that is another area that needs nailing down.

Getting Gearoid O’Connor to bring his college form to inter-county level is another important cog as he has the physical attributes needed at this level, and we saw that in 2023 but he regressed after a bright start to last years campaign.

Target

In terms of the National League, Tipperary probably would have preferred the old format with a mix of weaker teams but in the new seven-team division 1A along with Limerick, Cork, Kilkenny and defending champions Clare making up the schedule along with Galway and Wexford, there is no hiding place, and with two teams being relegated, there will be no soft games.

Tipperary go into it with the most questions to answer from last year and have no choice but to hit the ground running and try and get some early confidence-boosting wins, and hopefully generate some positive momentum, and with it belief, as Tipp have the talent to be performing much better than they showed in 2024.

Tipperary have been regardedas being arrogant when it comes to hurling but there has been a lack of arrogance in their play in recent years. It’s time to open the shoulders and show a bit of that again and work towards being the premier hurling county once again.

Tipperary Senior Hurling team v Galway