Tipp return to Lee-side with a pep in the step

By Shane Brophy

CORK v TIPPERARY

SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh

Sunday, 27th April

Throw-in @ 4.00pm

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

When Tipperary players, mentors, and supporters trudged out of Pairc Ui Chaoimh following the National League final earlier this month, the return trip in the second round of the Munster Championship three weeks on looked a daunting one indeed.

However, Tipperary head back down to Leeside this Sunday with a pep in their step following the manner of the performance in the draw with Limerick while the Cork momentum was stalled a little by Clare’s recovery in their opening round draw in Ennis.

The fact that both round 1 games ended in a draw, and Waterford enter the fray at home to Clare, also on Sunday, changes the dynamic a little in terms of the tally of points needed to finish in the top three to progress to the All-Ireland series.

“You're going to need five points, aren't you, to get out the gap, simple as,” admitted Liam Cahill on Sunday.

“Where they come from, I don't know. You just have to go after them every day. We have to go down to Cork, and we really have to go after a massive performance again.”

Cahill and his management will have to assess how much last Sunday's game will have taken from the tank to play Cork, although there were no injuries reported so they should have a full panel to choose from.

It remains to be seen whether Darragh McCarthy and Sam O’Farrell play any part for the under 20’s in their game with Waterford this evening (Wednesday).

There is also a horses for courses element in terms of dealing with the power of Limerick to the athleticism of Cork so there might be a tweak in how Tipp line up off the back of the league final. Could Bryan O’Mara go into centre-back to go with Darragh Fitzgibbon and Ronan Maher going to the wing on Seamus Harnedy or Declan Dalton.

Seamus Kennedy’s impact off the bench could see him come back into a starting role also, depending on whether Tipp play three in the full-forward line or not.

On the face of it, you wouldn’t think John McGrath suits at full forward against Cork’s Eoin Downey but in his best performance at senior level in six years with his 2-1 return against Limerick, it might be best served by riding the hot hand.

Then there is brother Noel whose impact off the bench against Limerick was huge but might well be best served continuing in that role for the moment, particularly as he wasn’t available to play in the league final through injury.

Considering the fact that this will be the third meeting of the age-old rivals in 2025 with both teams having a win each in the league, Liam Cahill feels there is more in the tank from a Tipp point of view that they didn’t show in the league final.

“Cork have so much in their armoury as well, it's quite difficult to pinpoint exactly what they'll bring next week because they have such a variety,” Cahill added.

“They're the one team that has pace, skill, power, strength. But I definitely think on the Cork puck-out and our puck-out, there's gains to be made there from ourselves.

“I don't think you have to be a genius to have seen that after the league final. There are areas we have to go after. We have to be braver on ours and we have to be really, really together on theirs to give ourselves any chance in seven days' time. It's a ten-point deficit.

“Some people in Tipperary will think there's more than that. That's fine too, but we'll go down and we'll represent the jersey with everything we've got again.”

As Liam Cahill said, on both puckouts in the league final, Tipp struggled so if they can improve even to par on that it will give them a platform both in a defensive and offensive sense.

While Tipp go into the game with a clean bill of health, Cork have a number of issues to deal with following the draw against Clare with wing forward Shane Barrett likely to be ruled out through suspension after his straight red card, with Declan Dalton replacing him at wing forward.

Meanwhile, centre-back Rob Downey who was rated doubtful after limping off in Ennis with a knee injury has been selected to start.

SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh is likely to be at its capacity of over 45,000 on Sunday afternoon, although there should be a much healthier Tipp support compared to the league final with a greater allocation of tickets. Still, they will be outnumbered but the players know from the league final what to expect in terms of the occasion and noise, and that will be an added help.

The pressure is on Cork, they are the form team in the country but if Tipp can bring it into the last fifteen minutes, the natives will get restless plus with a bit more confidence off the back last Sunday, Tipperary will be better than they were in the league final, from there it remains to be seen if it will be enough to win.