The Golden Generation is gone says Power
By Liam Hogan
Tipperary manager David Power says that the golden generation of Tipperary is over, for now, as he let loose his frustration following his teams’ eight-point defeat at the hands of Leitrim on Sunday.
Power was an extremely disappointed man as he spoke with emotion as he summed up what he witnessed in the previous seventy minutes that saw his team decisively beaten.
After Tipp drew with Waterford in Dungarvan in the opening round, it was felt that Tipperary could rely on victories in their four home games if they wanted to reach the promotion positions. Now, the defeat to Leitrim has scuppered those plans momentarily.
Power said that Tipp played well enough in the opening twenty minutes but admitted that the performance overall was mindboggling and that the individual errors were killing the team.
“We played well enough in the opening twenty minutes doing everything right but from there we took too many wrong options,” he began.
When asked as to how a team that beat Cork in a Munster final two years ago failed to beat Leitrim his reply was quick and to the point.
“Have a look at the panel then and the panel now,” he said.
“There are fourteen players gone. We are missing a lot of bodies for one reason or another, due to retirements, injuries, playing in Australia or whatever the case may be. We are talking about some of the best players we ever had.
“We have young players out there that have been struggling at minor and under 20 to win games. That is where it is.
“I don’t care what the people outside the county think. At the moment, we have a lot of work to do. We are where we are.
“This was coming down the track because this golden generation is not able to keep going. The facts are that since 2015, the underage football (performances) have been going downhill. We will have to start developing. I’m not making excuses, but we can’t replace some of those footballers.”
He added: We have searched all over the county over the winter in trying to unearth new talent. We will keep searching.
“Then there’s the club structures as well. We have a small base. It’s not like the hurling where you have thirty-two senior teams. Are there sixteen senior football teams in Tipp at the moment. Let’s call a spade a spade.”
As well as the players who have left the panel there are a few injuries and Colman Kennedy cried off before the game with a hip injury but Power his hopeful of having some bodies back for Wexford on Sunday week.
“Steven O’Brien could be back for the Cavan game and no earlier, while Jack Kennedy could make a return for the Wexford clash. But look the players are training extremely hard. It’s just not happening for us at the minute,” he added.