Tipp can take giant step inprogressing with result in Cork

GAA: Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 3 Preview

By Shane Brophy

CORK v TIPPERARY

Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork

Saturday, 6th May

Throw-in @ 7.00pm

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)

There is something very traditional about the current standings in the 2023 Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Okay, only forty percent of the matches have been played so far, and both Tipperary and Cork have only played one game each, but sitting in their respective positions in first and second place is a nice situation to be, even at this early stage.

And for the winners this Saturday evening, if there is one, is the

likelihood of having one-step in the All-Ireland Series, with the remaining four teams battling it out for the other two spots.

The duopoly of Tipperary and Cork in the Munster Championship has long since evaporated with Clare, Limerick and Waterford having become more consistent over the last thirty years or so, to such an extent that they have won just thirteen of the last thirty provincial titles, despite having won 96 titles between them since the first Munster Final was played in 1888.

Tipperary’s schedule in this year’s Munster round-robin had both positive and negative slants to it, depending on the outcome on their first game. That win over Clare, ending Tipp’s six game losing run in the championship, set Liam Cahill’s charges up perfectly for the rest of the campaign, with two weeks rest before travelling to Cork this Saturday, the Rebels having just six days to dust themselves down following their comprehensive win over Waterford in their first game last Sunday, although they wouldn’t have exerted too much energy in it such was the poor challenge put up by the Deise.

They say home advantage is important in the round-robin but of the four games played so far (Thurles classed as Waterford’s home for 2023), three have been road team wins, with Cork the only side to keep their fortress intact so far, but you’d like to think they’ll get a sterner examination of their credentials from Tipperary this Saturday evening.

Tipperary’s win over Clare looks even better in the aftermath of the Banners victory over Limerick last Saturday, however, Tipp boss Liam Cahill will be the first to admit they got every break going in Cusack Park. All three first half goals were defensive mistakes, but if there is one team that needs no second invitation to raise green flags, it is Tipperary.

Liam Cahill might well be in the infancy of his managerial term with Tipperary, but his familiarity with many of this Cork team from their many jousts at minor level between 2014 and 2019 will stand to them, with Tipp coming out on the right side of many of those counters, including the under 21 & 20 All-Ireland Finals in 2018 & 2019.

However, the Ballingarry clubman knows first hand what can happen if his charges aren’t on their game against a lightning-fast Cork side and can go back to the 2018 Munster Under 21 Final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh when Tipp were beaten by thirteen points, a Rebels side containing up to ten players that are likely to feature in some capacity in this Saturday’s game.

In terms of the Tipperary team that takes to the field in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday evening, there are unlikely to be too many changes from the win over Clare.

Barry Hogan should remain between the posts while the extra two weeks will have brought Cathal Barrett on a lot in terms of fitness at corner back, along with Johnny Ryan, while this game will be a big test of Michael Breen’s defensive instincts as Cork will try and create as much space as possible inside.

The half-back line should remain unaltered with Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara, and Brian McGrath likely to go again. Midfield is an area that could see a change with the legs of Conor Stakelum an asset, alongside Alan Tynan, against Darragh Fitzgibbon and Brian Roche who ruled the roost against Waterford, with maybe Dan McCormack losing out but he will be needed off the bench in what is now a twenty-man game.

In attack, the half forward line of Gearoid O’Connor, Noel McGrath and Seamus Kennedy should remain unaltered, and they’ll have a crucial role, particularly in a defensive sense, not to allow Cork half backs the time and space on the ball to pick their passes. In an attacking sense, Cork could be got at through Tommy O’Connell, who is slight for wing back at this level, but the Rebels have the option to make a chance as Eoin Downey is available after suspension and should return at full back, allowing his older brother Rob to revert to wing back which is his best position.

While Cork were impressive against Waterford, they did cough up a lot of goal chances and if they do so again, Tipp are unlikely not to take them, particularly if Jake Morris takes his Ennis form into this game, while Jason Forde doesn’t need a second invitation to raise a green flag, and while he didn’t score from play against Clare, he was still hugely influential.

However, the full-forward line is where a second change from the Clare game might be in the offing, as while John McGrath would have come on a lot from his 59 minutes in that game, he might well be a better bench option here, with Conor Bowe, or particularly Mark Kehoe coming in from the start, particularly with their proficiency to get goals, if the Cork defence is as generous in allowing openings as they were against the Deise.

It should be a raucous atmosphere on the banks of the Lee on Saturday evening, and with almost 30,000 having attended the Cork v Waterford game, it should be higher again this Saturday as these two traditional rivals renew battle.

With a wounded Limerick side facing Tipperary in their subsequent game, this Saturday is a massive opportunity to get in the box-seat to be in the top-three in Munster.

The Premier might not have the same explosive pace as Cork, but they know they have the hurling ability to exploit the space and opportunities they will get in a game which should be open and play to both sides’ strengths.

While some might lament the lack of jeopardy in the round-robinformat of the provincial championship, this game still has a hugely important feel to it, as even at this stage, it looks like head-to-head record or score difference might end up deciding some of the placings come the end of the five rounds so the outcome of this Saturday’s game could go a long way to determining the final standings come May 28th.