Opportunity awaits for Tipp as Limerick aim to repeat the trick
GAA: Munster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final Preview
By Shane Brophy
LIMERICK v TIPPERARY
LIT Gaelic Grounds
Saturday 7th November
Throw-in @ 1.15pm (E.T. & Pens)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)
Destiny and Revenge!
Two of the great motivators in life and Tipperary’s senior footballers will have both to feed off of when they take on Limerick in the Munster Championship semi-final next Saturday.
Destiny comes in the form of in the centenary of Bloody Sunday where Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan was shot dead by crown forces at Croke Park on November 21st 1920, and where one hundred years later the Premier County could have been playing in a Munster Final.
Prior to the pandemic, Tipperary’s part in the centenary commemoration of that event would have been playing All Ireland champions Dublin in a re-enactment game at Croke Park on November 21st. Instead, if they were to get over Limerick, they would be preparing for a Munster Final against Kerry or Cork on the same weekend which is a much more enticing prospect.
However, getting there is easier said than done. In beating a division 2 side in Clare in the quarter final last Sunday, many would think the harder part has been done but that is not the case as Limerick are a side that are coming with even more momentum than the side that shocked Tipperary in the championship in the summer of 2019.
That victory has given the Shannonsiders the kickstart they needed as while they suffered subsequent championship defeats to Cork and Westmeath, they did have some positive momentum to take into the 2020 campaign which has seen them win the pre-season McGrath Cup, beating Cork in the final, before going onto win division 4 of the National League where they won five of their seven games, before comfortably accounting for Waterford in last Saturday’s Munster quarter final in Dungarvan.
However, Limerick know full well that in facing this Tipperary team, they are a major step up in standard as well as a Premier County that can tap into the bitter disappointment of last years 3-11 to 1-10 championship loss at Semple Stadium.
That defeat was one of the low points of what was a terrific decade of football for the Premier County as the team were comprehensively beaten all over the field. They may have taken Limerick for granted but that won’t be the case this time round and being forewarned is forearmed.
In last years encounter, Limerick centre back Ian Corbett was the thorn in Tipperary’s side and he is still playing to a very high level with his ability not only to make penetrating runs from deep to get on the scoreboard, he is also an excellent distributor of the ball.
Tipperary’s defence who were superb in the win over Clare will be tested once more against a Limerick side who had ten different scorers in the 2-14 to 0-9 win over Waterford with Cillian Fahey also to the fore.
Having been on the back foot for most of the championship encounter last year, Tipperary will look to set the terms on this occasion and getting off to a bright start will be half the battle and a repeat of what they did at the start of both halves against Clare when they scored a goal would be ideal.
By his standards, Michael Quinlivan has been quiet since inter-county football returned but what a time it would be for him to show his undoubted class. His delicious pass to Conor Sweeney for his goal against Clare shows his ability but we aren’t seeing enough of that, as well as on the scoresheet.
The management have been trying him in a similar role to that of where he plays for Clonmel Commercials at centre forward to limited success at inter-county level so far but you would think it is only a matter of time before he clicks into gear and what better time than next Saturday.
A Munster Final place in this most surreal of years is a huge opportunity for both Tipperary and Limerick. It would be a huge set-back for Tipperary if they failed to be part of Bloody Sunday weekend in a significant way and having that element of destiny and revenge could be pivotal in earning a winning result this Saturday.
The Tipperary team is as follows;
1. Evan Comerford - Kilsheelan-Kilcash
2. Alan Campbell - Moyle Rovers
3. Jimmy Feehan - Killenaule
4. Colm O’Shaughnessy - Ardfinnan
5. Bill Maher - Kilsheelan-Kilcash
6. Kevin Fahey - Clonmel Commercials
7. Robbie Kiely - Barryroe
8. Conal Kennedy - Clonmel Commercials
9. Liam Casey - Cahir
10. Jack Kennedy - Clonmel Commercials
11. Michael Quinlivan - Clonmel Commercials
12. Emmet Moloney - Drom & Inch
13. Jason Lonergan - Clonmel Commercials
14. Conor Sweeney (Capt.) - Ballyporeen
15. Colman Kennedy - Clonmel Commercials
Subs.
16. Michael O'Reilly - Clonmel Commercials
17. Tadhg Fitzgerald - Moyle Rovers
18. Brian Fox - Éire Óg Annacarty
19. Jack Harney - Moyle Rovers
20. Padraic Looram - Clonmel Commercials
21. Paudie Feehan - Killenaule
22. Riain Quigley - Moyle Rovers
23. Shane Foley - Moyle Rovers
24. Sean O'Connor - Clonmel Commercials
25. Kevin O'Halloran - Portroe
26. Liam Boland - Moyle Rovers