O’Brien retained as Football captain

GAA: Allianz National Football League Division 4 Preview

By Shane Brophy

CARLOW v TIPPERARY

Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow

Saturday, 25th January

Throw-in @ 6.00pm

Referee: Eoin Morrissey (Waterford)

If new Tipperary senior football manager Philly Ryan wasn’t aware of the challenge facing him when he accepted the job last autumn, he certainly is now as he approached the start of the National Football League away to Carlow this Saturday evening.

It is hard to believe it is less just over four years since the high of the Munster Championship success in 2020 but since then the fall has been to such an extent that Tipp are facing into their third division 4 campaign in four years.

As well as that, just six players remain from the panel of 2020, including midfielder Steven O’Brien who has been retained as captain for a second successive year. The Ballina clubman’s reappointment comes as no surprise such is the lack of experience within the squad following the retirements of Conor Sweeney and Shane O’Connell, plus the decisions by the likes of goalkeeper Evan Comerford and the Kennedy brothers (Colman, Jack and Conall) not to commit this year, despite being clubmates of the new manager.

Another notable aspect of the 37 man squad is there are no players from the county senior football champions Loughmore/Castleiney, not down to the fact they didn’t have players who would contribute, but largely due to not willing to commit.

It is a further indication of the fall-off from the heady days of playing in two All-Ireland semi-finals in 2016 and 2020, to fighting it out with Waterford, Longford, and London as to who was the worst team in the country last year.

Another difficulty with what that brings was shown in pre-season when Tipperary found it extremely difficult to arrange challenge matches, with Philly Ryan revealing that his side weren’t “challenge friendly”. You would think it would have been the same for many of the other division 4 counties in an effort to ready themselves for the new campaign which brings with it the new FRC rules being trialled.

This will certainly bring a novelty factor as until the games start to be played, no one will know who they will benefit most.

The most exciting rule change of all will be the retaining of three forwards inside the attacking half, which should lead to more attacking play and kick-passing. To that end, a lot will fall on the shoulders of Sean O’Connor in terms of scoring following the retirement of Conor Sweeney. The Commercials clubman is 23 years old and has the ability fill his boots if the service is good, and has the physicality in a one-on-one battle.

The return to the panel of Mikey O’Shea is a boost as his pace and trickery should thrive in the extra space afforded by the new rules, while the fitness of Mark Russell would also be important such is his proficiency with long range points scoring so the new two-point scoring arc at forty yards out should play to his skillset.

There aren’t many dominant teams in division 4 to rule Tipperary completely out of a promotion charge but the fact they are under new management would make that difficult compared to the likes of Wexford, Wicklow and Limerick who have the benefit of managerial stability and would be the favourites to jump to division 3.

If Tipp are to join them, their opening two games, away to Carlow and home to Longford in Clonmel, appear winnable if they hit the ground running, and Tipp have shown over the years they tend to be at their best when they play off the cuff and without fear.

Tipp have nothing to lose after a disappointing 2024, the only way is up!