A minor game for the ages

By Shane Brophy

This All-Ireland Minor Hurling semi-final between Tipperary and Galway was as good as there has been in the grade.

Coming up to the game, you knew these two teams were good, and more importantly they both knew they were good. This isn’t being cocky in any way but when you have talent dripping from both sides, you have to have the confidence to back yourselves and to the credit of respective managers James Woodlock and Fergal Healy, that is what they did with their teams.

These were two sides sent out to win, and Tipperary deservedly came out the right side of the result, but it could easily have been devastation at the final whistle. When Galway captain Rory Burke landed his fifth point from play to put his side in front in the second of three minutes of added time, it looked as if Tipperary had thrown the game away.

They had led by as many as six points midway through the second half and were the better team after half time but in the final ten minutes, the scores began to dry up and Galway were inching their way back, boosted by a superb Aaron Niland goal on 58 minutes which drew them level, although it was a goal Tipp could have avoided with Jack O’Callaghan opting to take a quick side-line cut in the build-up that went wrong.

However, whether Tipperary go onto win the All-Ireland title or not, what we do know is these players are made of stern stuff and off the back of aMunster Final comeback, they once again had the composure to not throw in the towel when the momentum had gone against them.

The response was superb, not only in getting the winning scores, but how they managed to create them. Firstly, the equaliser from Adam Daly from the wing as Tipp didn’t panic, continuing to use the ball well with Joe Egan doing well to create the opportunity. From the resultant puckout, Tipperary’s intensity and workrate which was at a high level all through, was evident again as they forced a Galway defender into losing possession with Egan on hand to fire over from long range for the lead score.

Indeed, it would have been fitting if that was the decisive score but there was still more time as Tipp were diligent in how they defended the next sequence of play, not giving the referee an opportunity to blow for a free which we see many times in games of such drama. Instead, Tipp closed down the game and when they won the ball, they didn’t just lash it up the field, it was measured and it resulted in a goal for Senan Butler, with his first touch of the game after coming on as a sub, set-up by the outstanding Tom Delaney who returned to form with a six-point haul from play.

If Tipperary had lost, they would have only had themselves to blame as they were the better team for long stages, even in the first half, when they trailed by one point at half time, but they scored 1-13 off limited possession compared to Galway who dominated the puckout and provided the service from where their inside forward line of Rory Burke, Aaron Niland and Conor Dolphin ran amok, scoring all 2-11 of their sides first half total between them. However, Galway were too reliant on that trio for scores as they finished with 3-18 between them, whereas Tipperary had ten different scorers, including all six starting forwards and both midfielders.

However, as impressive as Tipperary’s attacking play was with Tom Delaney and Damien Corbett livewires in the full forward line, and Paddy McCormack having a really strong second half along with Joe Egan in the half forward line, it was in midfield and defence where Tipp won the game in the second half. They upped the physicality on Galway in the middle third to such an extent that both Rory Burke and Aaron Niland had to be brought out to the half forward line as the service to them dried but with Daly, Ciaran Foley and Cathal English working to a standstill.

The management also made some key moves with Tadhg Sheehan moving into the full back line with Aaron O’Halloran to the wing after a difficult first half dealing with Rory Burke who was also the creator of both the Galway goals. Captain Sam O’Farrell slotted in as centre back/sweeper from where he has a massive second half, reading the play superbly well.

Jack Quinlan was always going to have a tough ask to restrict Aaron Niland who finished with 2-11, 2-4 from play, but stuck to his task manfully against the rising Galway star who is still underage again next year.

Once again, Tipperary’s bench made an impact with Paddy Phelan and Darragh McCarthy getting on a lot of ball after coming on while Senan Butler had the dream job of signing off on the win with the last gasp goal.

Regardless of how the final goes, there is serious talent within this Tipperary group for the longer term, but they’d love to top off the campaign by winning an All-Ireland title and they certainly have the quality to, but a very good Offaly side will have a lot to say about that. One to look forward to on Sunday week.