Clare win will count for nothing if we don’t beat Waterford - Cummins
GAA: oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship
By Shane Brophy
TIPPERARY v WATERFORD
FBD Semple Stadium
Wednesday, 23rd April
Throw-in @ 7.00pm
Referee: Ciaran O'Regan (Cork)
Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins was proud of the way his players approached the challenge of going into Clare and coming away with a crucial second win in the Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship last week.
“I’m very proud with the way the lads played,” said the Ballybacon/Grange clubman in the nine-point win.
“We asked for a performance. We knew what we were coming into, our record against Clare at underage hasn't been brilliant since 2009, so we asked the lads to get that performance.
“We got the goals, which was obviously were the difference in the finish and that helped us along the line, but the work-rate all around the pitch was seriously good, and that's the standard we set for the boys, and they set from themselves more importantly.”
It has been an impressive response by Tipperary to the poor performance and defeat in the opening round at home to Limerick, following it up with back-to-back away wins in Cork and now in Clare.
“I said that after the Limerick game, there's no excuses,” Cummins added.
“It’s Munster championship. No team can come into a Munster championship and feel there is a right to win anything. We didn't have it that night, we were really humbled.
“So, what do you do next is what we asked the group. It's learning; when we were in the dressing room after the Limerick game, I said it to the boys, this is experience, this is learning so the question was, what are you going to do next only wake up tomorrow morning and you start again and that's we did, and that's what we'll do tomorrow again because Waterford are coming on Wednesday to Thurles and we just have to be ready to perform like we have in the last two games. That's the mission.”
“I saw them against Limerick, and they are really, really good. Ken (McGrath) has really come on with them and they have Tony Browne in there as well so they'll be gunning for us so we will have to make sure that we're right or today would be for nothing.”
Much is the focus in the build-up to the game was whether any of the five players also on the senior panel would be involved, particularly Darragh McCarthy and Sam O’Farrell who are starters on the senior team as their campaign got underway four days later, and Cummins thanked senior manager Liam Cahill for allowing them to play.
“In fairness to Liam (Cahill) he has been really, really good,” Cummins stated.
“Darragh, Sam and Oisin (O’Donoghue), and maybe if Conor (Martin) and Halla (Aaron O’Halloran) are required as well.
“They are professional in the way they prepare and in fairness to Liam again, he was gracious enough to let them play tonight and we'll get them recovered and get them ready to play for the seniors as the weekend.
“We all work together. Me and Liam have seen this coming from a long way down the road. Tipp getting to a league final was a fantastic experience, but they are so young and so energetic.
“There’ll be another conversation about the Waterford game obviously, because we've had tonight, they’ll play Sunday then Wednesday and again the following Sunday.”
The next focus for the under 20’s is their final group game against Waterford this evening (Wednesday) where a win would confirm Tipp’s place in the semi-final, or possibly the final depending on the outcome of the final round of games when Tipperary are on the bye. As well as hoping the seniors come through unscathed and are able to play, they will have to monitor the fitness of centre back Jim Ryan who limped off with ten minutes to go against Clare with a hamstring injury.
“His hamstring just tightened but it didn't go or anything,” revealed the Tipperary manager.
“We will have to assess him now; he is another young man who has really embraced his role, taking the great club form he has had in here and he's been really good for us.
“The reason that his hamstring tightened was he was killing himself trying to get on the ball. I was standing right in front of it, just stretching every sinew and muscle that you have, and that's what those young men are doing for the Tipperary cause, and we have to be very proud of them tonight.
Tipperary Under 20 Hurling team v Waterford: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Jim Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt); Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal English (Fr Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).
Subs: Daire English (Fr Sheehy’s), Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), Jack Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens), Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch/Drombane), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Robbie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill)