Tipperary face Waterford with a spring in their step

‘The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was published in 1886 but its spirit was alive and well in Semple Stadium last Sunday. We have been more often victim than perpetrator of comebacks down the years with the 1991 Munster Final replay remaining maybe not only the prime positive example of this phenomenon for our county but one of the most fondly remembered days in the county’s history. That day saw Tipp – with Mick Ryan himself i lár an aonaigh – come from nine points down to score 3-9 to 1-2 against the All-Ireland champions in the last quarter. The blood of old Tubberadora never flowed better.

That was an old-fashioned death-or-glory game and as a memory it remains unsurpassable but as a talking point it arguably had nothing on this recent game. The first-half last Sunday was as bad as it got at times – Kingston’s goal was absolutely preventable with three defenders between him and the goal failing to lay a glove on him. Maybe they fell prey to the complacency of the collective mind with everyone assuming another would quench the fire. Contrast that with Galway’s defenders when Luke Scanlon bore down on goal. Even that most impressive workaholic Walter Walsh had to score his goal under significant duress. Ger Loughnane – prematurely but not unreasonably - wrote Tipp’s obituary at half-time. We do not have the delicate sensitivities of some other counties but even if we were so inclined it would be hard to stand up an argument that Loughnane’s half-time thoughts were outlandish.

 

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