Finding a way to win highlights positive showing

By Shane Brophy

It’s early days in the 2024 campaign but there is a lot to like about where Tipperary are, approaching the midway point of the National League.

It isn’t just the two wins from two which, bar a collapse, should see Tipp reach a league semi-final and with it a place in division 1 of next years revamped league, but it has been achieved by keeping the natives happy. Nothing is a better indicator for a manager of how they are moving than if the supporters are on board with what they are seeing, and they liked what they saw against Galway.

Okay, the final result was too close for comfort, how Galway were level on 66 minutes didn’t really stack up with what had played out, bar once again, Tipp’s ability to fade out of games which remains a problem.

But what was most pleasing on Sunday was how they managed to see the game out. Galway had all the momentum when they drew level at 0-23 apiece, having outscored Tipp 0-9 to 0-1 from the 42nd minute. Tipp looked leggy in the energy-sapping pitch, and on that note, credit to groundsman Padhraic Greene and his staff for having the pitch in such decent condition considering it was water-logged 24 hours earlier.

This was a real test of Tipp’s mettle, could they win a tight game that was going against them, and they stood up to the challenge. Seamus Kennedy, in his first game of the season after returning to the panel late, lasted the 77 minutes of game time, and still had the power to get onto a breaking ball to point.

From there, Gearoid O’Connor benefitted from a John McGrath assist for a point from play before letting out a yelp after landing a ninety yard free, for a three point lead, again after John McGrath won the free.

McGrath was out on his feet for the last ten minutes, but the management were keen to leave him out there for the game-time, and it was a good call. A heavy collision with Daithi Burke, that wasn’t spotted by the referee, seemed to ignite the fire in the Loughmore/Castleiney clubman who had a storming closing period, and Tipperary needed someone in attack to step up as they had gone completely out of the game in terms of ball-winning.

Evan Niland’s ninth placed ball reduced the arrears to two in the four minutes of added time where one of Galway’s failings in the game, overplaying the ball in defence, finally came against them as Seamus Kennedy intercepted a Padraic Mannion pass which broke to sub Conor Stakelum, also in his first appearance of the campaign, and he burst through and was deliberately hauled to the ground outside the square by Sean Linnane, but was clearly a cynical foul which resulted in a penalty and a sin-binning for the Galway sub.

With a two point lead and time almost up, the safe call would have been to take the point, and at least secure a draw if Galway managed a last gasp goal but Gearoid O’Connor trusted his own instinct and confidence to go for the goal, and end the game as a contest.

There were many areas that can be pointed to for how and why Tipp fell off the pace towards the end of last years championship, and one of them was the ankle injury sustained by Gearoid O’Connor in the first half of the defeat to Waterford, and he wasn’t long back in training come the quarter final against Galway, and his introducing helped get Tipp back into a contest they were being well-beaten in.

The Moyne-Templetuohy man is turning into a key player in the Tipperary attack, and to such an extent that Jason Forde, one of the best dead-ball strikers in hurling, might not get that job back when he returns soon from a finger injury. Not only is it O’Connor’s quality play, his physicality in the half forward line is a huge asset in the modern game, and he is no slouch either when taking off on a run.

When Tipperary were flowing in this game, they were very good. As against Dublin, they flew from the blocks with Bryan O’Mara to the fore in the early stages at wing back before leaving the fray with a hamstring injury on sixteen minutes, with Jake Morris following with the same ailment on twenty minutes, and one wondered how costly those injuries would be in the short and longer term.

They were to a certain extent, particularly Morris as his movement in the inside line is superb and while he had one point to his name at that stage, he was on the ball a lot, and his presence also opened up avenues for Sean Ryan to thrive with the Templederry clubman a real thorn in the Galway side in the opening half, forcing TJ Brennan to be replaced such was his impact. On another day, Ryan could have had 3-1 to his name by half-time, but the intervention of the post and a superb Darach Fahy save prevented the corner forward from having the scoring return his play deserved. His willingness to show for the ball is a huge asset and some day he is going to fill his boots with scores and announce himself fully as a senior inter-county player.

Ten different players got on the scoresheet for Tipperary, another positive, including Craig Morgan who impressed again at corner back along side Ronan Maher who was powerful in the second half, while Michael Breen’s battle with Galway captain Conor Whelan was engrossing, and holding him to two points from play was a win for the Ballina clubman.

Conor Bowe continues to develop well at wing back while Robert Byrne’s physicality was certainly an asset at centre back in this game, although was fortunate there is no VAR in hurling as his tackle on Evan Niland in the second half, while having no intent, still connected with the head, and needs to be careful.

Willie Connors guile and invention continue to be a huge addition in the middle of the field as he rarely does a bad thing with the ball, while up front, Sean Kenneally can be pleased with his first league appearance, scored a point, but was always a willing worker, while Mark Kehoe continued his great ability to impact a game off the bench and he three points from a centre-forward position after half-time show the player he can be when he gets on the ball.

With two wins from two against arguably the second and third hardest teams on their schedule, Tipp are well positioned to make the semi-finals and changes will be expected for the Westmeath game on Saturday week, particularly as it will act as the final trial ahead of the panel cut, so not an appetising prospect for the Leinster side, despite their good showing against Limerick, even in defeat, last Sunday.