Semple needs to be true home cauldron to aid ailing Tipp
Anyone who was in Nowlan Park in Kilkenny on Saturday 6th July 2013 for the All Ireland hurling qualifier between Kilkenny and Tipperary will remember what a unique occasion it was.
The two sides that had won the last seven All Ireland's between them in a knockout do or die contest in the first round of the qualifiers.
However, for Kilkenny it was more than just a game. Coming off the back of losing to Dublin in a Leinster semi-final relay seven days previous, Kilkenny's backs were to the wall and they weren't going to be knocked out of the championship in the own backyard by their greatest rivals.
It helped that the supporters knew it too and those black and amber fans in the 24,000 capacity turned Nowlan Park into a cauldron and made it a real home advantage to see them to victory in the closing stages in particular.
Well, for Tipperary next Sunday, this is our Nowlan Park. It's win or bust against Clare to stay in the championship. A win might not be enough if certain results go against them in the final round but for the players and management, they can't worry about that as to get a win would at least getting the winless run stretching back to the league semi-final out of their heads.
Hurling fans against the new championship format lamented the lack of a knockout element but here it is and a Tipperary team struggling for form, need the fans help.
Players feed off supporters as much as supporters feed off players and with a team struggling to gain traction, this is where the fans step in to play a big role.
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