Cummins confident in Tipp’s future

By Liam Hogan

Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins was very happy with the way his team played despite falling to favourites Limerick in the Munster Under 20 Hurling final last Wednesday.

“We came here to win the game,” he began.

“When the dust settles, we will be extremely happy with the way the lads played. We knew there was a big push in Limerick and when they went seven up with the breeze, but we battled our way back and like any two great teams there was a few breaks and they got them.”

Before half time Limerick scored seven unanswered points and it gave them a cushion at half time so what did Tipp do for the second half?

“Similar to the Cork game we pushed up on their (Limerick) defence,” Cummins added.

“We had to cover ourselves against the breeze (first half), but we pushed up and created more opportunities for Peter McGarry and the boys around the middle third to get on the ball. That’s exactly the way we wanted to play in the first half against the breeze. But Limerick are an extremely good team. They did the same to Cork and Waterford what they did to us.”

Tipperary showed battling qualities especially in the second half as they came within two points of the winners, defying the expectation levels in the county.

Cummins added: “I said it inside there is a lot of negativity around Tipperary hurling and all but you would really want to go in and watch those men training. The way the dedicate themselves the way the mind themselves and the way they watch their nutrition.

“That stuff gives me huge hope about the future of Tipperary hurling so while we are very disappointed tonight, but I think the future is bright and hopefully a lot of those boys tonight will be a part of that.”

Physically Limerick might have an inch or two on Tipp but that still didn’t count for anything in terms of what Tipp brought to the table according to the Tipp boss.

“It’s not a weight lifting contest out there,” he said.

“It’s a game of hurling, a game of running and a game of work and we ticked all those boxes. When Paddy Creedon turned a few of them upside down it looked as if he was the giant out there. I don’t buy into this thing that we were too light or too small and not conditioned enough.

“The boys at Setanta are doing an unbelievable job and the boys have responded to them. I was very proud of the way we broke tackles and the way we hunted and like you said the workrate is the first question you asked me and that is key to success.

“Look anything we have asked those boys to do they have done it without question. We have 36 on the panel and there were twelve guys sitting up in the stand and they clapped the lads on to the pitch before the match. That creates a great energy around the place.

“Eight of the first fifteen are underage for next year and twenty-four players overall."