Already must-win territory for footballers as Wicklow visit

With a reduced format National Football League in 2021, we are already into do-or-die territory going into the second round next Saturday.

Following last weekend’s results in division three south, it has worked out that it is winner against winner and loser against loser in the second round and from a Tipperary point of view after falling to Limerick in their first game, facing a Wicklow side that are also coming off a loss is a small crumb of comfort.

A second consecutive defeat, coupled with a Limerick win in Offaly would see Tipperary destined for the relegation playoff to division four, which would be hard to take just two games into the season. However, a win and Tipperary can head to Tullamore for a winner-takes-all encounter in the final group game against Offaly when hopefully the Premier County will be in better health injury wise.

Coming into a league campaign with less than four weeks full contact training behind them was always going to carry with it a greater risk of injury for all teams, and certainly luck was not on Tipperary’s side as a recent challenge game against Kildare saw Michael Quinlivan, Robbie Kiely and 2020 All-Star nominees Bill Maher and Kevin Fahey pick up knocks that ruled them out of the defeat to Limerick. On top of that, goalkeeper Evan Comerford was also out with a calf problem and for all Tipperary’s progress last year, their panel depth just isn’t strong enough to cope with loss of the calibre of those players.

Tipperary manager David Power was unsure if any of those injured players will be available for the visit of Wicklow to Semple Stadium this Saturday afternoon, and even if they were the risk of a reoccurrence could lead to more long term damage ahead of the championship.

Due to the clash of colours with their Leinster counterparts, Tipperary are likely to revert to the changed green and white strip worn to such distinction in last year’s Munster final and they will hope for some inspiration from it.

A greater urgency to their play has to be a must as while Limerick dominated the ball for long spells last Saturday, Tipperary let them to a large extent and it was only when they went five points behind did they spark into life but ultimately the damage had been done.

Jack Kennedy being able to start would certainly give Tipperary another ball-winning weapon as the midfielder was short of match-fitness after a recent hamstring injury. His impact against Limerick was notable and should he be able to go from the start, it would give Tipperary a chance to win more ball and certainly the Premier County are most effective as a team when they are on the front foot attacking teams.

They paid Limerick too much respect in the early going and against Wicklow they need to bring the game to them from the start and put them on the backfoot. They fell to a four point defeat at home to Offaly in the first game last Sunday, but were never really in the game as the newly promoted side found the going tough in their first game in the third tier. This is a must-win game for Tipperary and if they play with a championship urgency, they should have enough quality to get their promotion push back on track.

MATCH DETAILS

Tipperary v Wicklow

Semple Stadium

Saturday, May 22nd,

Throw-in: 4.30pm

Ref: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry)