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Tipp remain on course following epic win
(31/07/2010)
By Shane Brophy
The last time Liam Sheedy appeared before the press in the bowels of Croke Park, it was he who was showing all the emotion.
The harsh reality of sport has been put before the Tipperary manager on his last two trips to GAA Headquarters and this time he was on the right side as his players showed true grit and character to come from behind to beat Galway on Sunday last.
While there was no doubting the ability of this Tipperary panel, question marks still remained as to their mental toughness to rescue a win from the jaws of defeat and while Tipperary’s errors ensured the game was tighter that it should have been, the manner of the come from behind win could be the last piece of the jigsaw.
However, while Liam Sheedy has always defended the honesty of his players, it has not been proven until now and that they passed with flying colours earned praise from the Tipperary manager
“With the clock ticking on and time running out it looked like maybe it wasn't going to be our day,” he began.
“But those lads, I just couldn't give enough praise to them for their effort and their commitment. People continue to question their attitude and their commitment and is there big games in them but I think what you seen out there today was a bunch that are really, really anxious to do well and left it all on the field.
“Again, I'd like to compliment my bench. The guys that came in, they brought it up a notch, they kicked it on and they pushed on. It makes for a number of very interesting weeks as we look to build up to the semi-final.”
In the end to came down to the final minutes, six minutes in fact where at the start, Tipp were trailing by two points but managed to shoot three points in those final minutes to claim a place in the semi-finals and repeat of the 2008 clash with Waterford as the same stage.
“Generally matches are not won in the first six or seven minutes,” he said.
“They can be lost in the first six or seven minutes and they can be lost in the last six or seven but as I said, in fairness to my lads, their character and their thought an their attitude and their workrate in the final few minutes when it was everything to play for, it was great.
“I'd say our supporters are very, very happy with the effort and commitment and work that the lads put in today. Generally if you concede 3-16 you won't win the game but as I said we outscored our opponents by a point and if we were to do that in every game from now on we'd be happy enough.
What he won’t be happy with was the sloppy nature of the two goals conceded in the second half, both at periods when Tipperary were threatening to put a bit of daylight between themselves and their opponents.
“The defence is normally rock solid. That's what we've built our team on in the last three years. There are bad days at the office but it was a real test of the character of the team when that happens.
“It'd be very easy for a team to say, 'Look, it's not our day'. They didn't say that. They just said, 'Right, here goes, there's nothing we can do about that, let's get on and let's try and win the next ball'.
“As I said, fair dues to them. They've shipped a lot of criticism. Maybe some of it is justified, I'm not a pundit but they shipped a fair bit of criticism and to go out there and dig deep in the last six or seven minutes makes me very proud to be involved with that dressing room inside. They don't lack commitment, they don't lack effort. They really want to do well.
“It looked for periods, maybe we went in at halftime with a lead and we tagged on a point at the start of the second half, all of a sudden, goal,” he added.
“Every time we looked to build a bit of momentum, then the penalty, another goal. You wonder is it going to be your day. Galway held the lead and struck some good points but looked to be moving a little bit better than us coming into the final five or six but in fairness to the lads they dug deep. They had the work done. They have trained at a very, very high intensity. It's just as well because they needed every ounce of energy that they had.”
The drama continued to the final play as Niall Healy fell to the ground inside the small square but referee James Owens was unmoved and called a halt to proceedings. Liam Sheedy refused to be drawn on his interpretation of the referee’s decision, instead focusing on the added benefits the win will have created for his side.
“It's going to make for a very competitive couple of weeks. That's what you need and the last eight weeks really stood to the panel today because it was the boys that got off the bench that really made the difference.
“I got that sense, we found the team to pick the last three times has been very, very difficult and that's the way it needs to be. The challenge is back in the dressing room once again Wednesday night for everyone to up it a notch. That's the way it has to be.”
And onwards it is to August 15th and a semifinal meeting against Waterford. The roles are reversed from two years ago when Tipperary came in as Munster champions while Waterford recovered from a heavy first round defeat in Munster to resurrect their season and reach the All Ireland.
Coming through whichever route is irrelevant said Sheedy who added that Tipp are where they wanted to be.
“Obviously we've had three wins in a row, that's always encouraging. The team that we face has had two wins in a row and is unbeaten. Whichever route you want to get into, the bottom line is in August you want to be inside contesting an All-Ireland semi-final. That's where we wanted to be.
It looked a long ways away at the end of May and people maybe thought that we wouldn't be able to get the show back on the road but in fairness it's the lads and the work that they have done and we're delighted to be back in a semi-final.” |
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