Retaining possession, not workrate central to Tipp's 2018 failure

Tipperary’s Huge Work Rate in the Opponents 65 yard line

Many people accused Tipperary’s forward division of not working hard enough in 2018 in comparison to previous years under Michael Ryan. Tipperary scored 5-26 (41) from play or frees which came directly from turnovers or winning back possession inside the opponent’s 65 yard line.

Comparing this with the championship performances from 2016 and 2017 analysed, Tipperary scored 2-30 (36) from play and frees which came as a result of winning back possession. The team’s workrate has remained a constant over all the championship performances with 32 scores from turnovers over the games in 2016 & 2017 against 31 scores in 2018.

In the Limerick game, 2-8 (14) of Tipperary’s 2-14 (20) scored came from their workrate inside Limerick’s 65 yard line. This compares with the 2016 All Ireland Final against Kilkenny where 1-11 (14) out of 2-29 (35) came from their workrate inside the opponent’s 65 yard line.

The particular highlights of the workrate shown by Tipperary in this year’s Munster Championship was against Limerick when Billy McCarthy and Noel McGrath’s showed huge physicality in the tackle leading up to Dan McCormack’s goal. Another highlight in that game was McCormack’s relentless chasing down of Limerick’s Tom Morrissey which resulted in a turnover in the lead up to Jason Forde’s goal.

In the Cork game, Jake Morris’s pressure coupled with John McGrath’s huge shoulder to shoulder challenge on Cork’s Sean O’Donoghue resulted in Morris scoring the equalising point.

 

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