Cork’s open style should draw the best out of Tipp

GAA: Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4 Preview

By Shane Brophy

TIPPERARY v CORK

FBD Semple Stadium

Sunday, 19th May

Throw-in @ 4.00pm

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)

Ahead of last Saturday’s clash between Cork and Limerick, the leading question locally was, what would be the best result from a Tipperary point of view?

Would it be better if the Rebels were making their pilgrimage to Thurles already out of the championship with nothing to play for, like Waterford last year and handed Tipp a costly loss in the process, or Cork coming in still alive in the championship.

Well, not only is it the latter but they come in with serious momentum after their late victory in another classic Munster Championship clash at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Cork have flattered to deceive in recent years, producing some notable victories, but they have failed to kick on. Now they have another opportunity in what is in effect a knockout clash in the penultimate round of Munster, as for the loser, their season is over.

A draw would be enough to keep both teams alive, but Cork’s fate would then be out of their hands as this is their final game, while Tipperary have another opportunity to qualify against Clare on Sunday week, however, the focus in both camps this week will all be about winning.

In fact, both teams come into the game in a similar fashion, off backs-to-the-wall type performances and results to stay alive in the championship. The question is who will carry the momentum best into Sunday and start developing an element of consistency which is frustratingly lacking in both teams.

One key factor could be that Tipperary will come in off fifteen days rest compared to just eight for Cork who expended a lot of energy and emotion in last Saturday’s performance against Limerick.

Pat Ryan’s charges were devastatingly good in the first half against the defending champions, going after Limerick with direct play, similar to what Tipp did in the first half of the 2021 Munster Final with long ball down the middle and hammering in on the breaks to great effect with Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy, and Brian Hayes particularly effective.

It will be interesting to see if they bring that kind of approach again, as it would be something that could play to Tipp’s strengths, particularly with Ronan Maher at centre back. You would thing Cork would revert to a more varied game where they would use their explosive pace in the likes of Mark Coleman, Ethan Twomey, and Darragh Fitzgibbon in the middle third.

A lot is made of Tipperary’s lack of pace in the same area but what they don’t lack is power, right from Brian O’Mara, Ronan Maher, and Conor Bowe in the half-back line, through Eoghan Connolly and Alan Tynan in midfield, through Noel McGrath, Gearoid O’Connor, and Jason Fode in the half forward line.

That is assuming of course that Tipp line out as such in those areas. However, Cork play a similar brand of hurling to Waterford who like to play up-tempo and use their pace to carry the ball so Liam Cahill might not tweak things too much.

The Tipperary manager is well used to sizing up Cork teams from his underage days and has a good record so he will be well aware of what can work. Cork will also allow Tipp to play as is it against the structured type teams like Limerick and Waterford where they tend to have their greatest difficulty.

He will also know that Tipp perform best when they hurl with a bit of heart and passion, as Cork did last weekend, so tapping into what we got against Waterford will be important.

There were no injury concerns out of the Waterford game so the last two weeks will have been about using the confidence from that to generate an even more improved performance and certainly there are aspects that they can get better in.

Barry Hogan’s general play against Waterford was his best in championship so far and against Cork last year was very adept at finding his men from restarts.

You would expect the back six that started against Waterford would do so again with match-ups key. Ronan Maher will be at centre back but from there will be about who picks up who. I would expect Craig Morgan to take up Patrick Horgan with Cathal Barrett likely to go on Alan Connolly. Brian Hayes is the x-factor for Cork with his sheer size so Michael Breen could be earmarked for him.

Seamus Harnedy was hugely impressive last Saturday and will provide a huge test for Brian O’Mara, but he cannot afford to be as exposed as Diarmuid Byrnes was, with Conor Bowe likely to pick up Declan Dalton.

Alan Tynan and Eoghan Connolly should start in midfield with Noel McGrath dropping into help, but it will be interesting to see who he will be earmarked for. Tim O’Mahony would appear a chink in the Cork armour as he is poor defensively and McGrath’s ability to find pockets of space could expose him. That is if O’Mahony starts as Christopher Joyce should return after injury and if he goes back into centre back, it is hard to see Rob Downey losing out after his performance against Limerick, because Mark Coleman on the other wing offers too much to hold him to the bench.

Should Gearoid O’Connor play at centre forward, Coleman’s ability to influence the play will likely determine who starts on the other wing for Tipp. Darragh Stakelum would appear best suited from the side that started against Waterford, but so would his brother Conor who is back from injury and was superb in the corresponding game last year.

The big question in terms of selection will be around Jason Forde and whether he starts. His form hasn’t been what is needs to be, but he is still a player of immense quality. Bar he gets an easy free to get his confidence going, the safer bet would be for Gearoid O’Connor to take over the placed balls. That would leave Forde to focus on general play. Starting him off the bench would be a greater risk as you are bringing on a player who is lacking in confidence whereas starting him would be a vote of confidence.

If he starts, an inside role on a like of a Niall O’Leary would seem a good match-up with Sean O’Donoghue likely to pick up Jake Morris and Eoin Downey on Mark Kehoe, who was superb against Cork last year off the bench scoring 1-4. This is a big game for Kehoe off his career-best performance against Waterford last time out. His lack of consistency putting good games back-to-back has been a failing but the leadership he showed late on against the Deise might well have seen the penny drop and he would be well aware of the Cork players having played college hurling with UCC.

Off the back of last Saturday’s drama, all the focus is on Cork. If they can beat the best team in the game that is Limerick, they should be beating a Tipperary team still finding their way. However, as we have seen in this years hurling championship so far, no game is a foregone conclusion.

Tipperary need to bring the same fire and passion they did against Waterford, and if they do it will ignite the home crowd in what will be a cauldron of an atmosphere, like the old-style games between these two old rivals.

Tipperary haven’t won a game in Munster in five attempts going back to last year’s win over Clare, with three draws and two losses recorded in the meantime. That run needs to end and what better time to do it than next Sunday and keep their quest to reach a Munster Final firmly in their own hands.

Tipperary Senior Hurling panel v Cork

1 (GK) Barry Hogan Kiladangan

2 Cathal Barrett Holycross/Ballycahill

3 Ronan Maher Thurles Sarsfields

4 Craig Morgan Kilruane MacDonaghs

5 Michael Breen Ballina

6 Bryan O'Mara Holycross/Ballycahill

7 Conor Bowe Moyne-Templetuohy

8 Alan Tynan Roscrea

9 Eoghan Connolly Cashel King Cormacs

10 Gearoid O'Connor Moyne Templetuohy

11 Jason Forde Silvermines

12 Noel Mcgrath Loughmore/Castleiney

13 Jake Morris Nenagh Eire Óg

14 Mark Kehoe Kilsheelan/Kilcash

15 Darragh Stakelum Thurles Sarsfields

SUBS

16 Rhys Shelly Moycarkey/Borris

17 Paddy Cadell JK Brackens

18 Willie Connors Kiladangan

19 Sean Hayes Kiladangan

20 Seanie Kenneally Moneygall

21 Patrick Maher Lorrha

22 Dan McCormack Borris-Ileigh

23 John McGrath Loughmore/Castleiney

24 Andrew Ormond JK Brackens

25 Johnny Ryan Arravale Rovers

26 Conor Stakelum Thurles Sarsfields