Under 20’s bolster Senior squad for Tailteann Cup

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary senior football manager Philly Ryan will be absent from the sideline this Sunday as his side begin their Tailteann Cup campaign away to Sligo.

The former long serving goalkeeper is recuperating following an operation of a hip replacement, which couldn’t be put off any further, with first team coach Martin O’Brien to assume managerial duties for the day, along with selectors Paul Cahill and Cathal Naughton, but the Clonmel native is confident of being present for the round 2 game at home to Kildare the following week.

The draw made last week threw up a tough group for Tipperary, with Kildare, Sligo and Leitrim, all teams who played their national league football in division 3 this season.

“We always knew we would be up against division 3 & 4 teams so whatever way it worked out, there might have been better draws out there, but they are three division 3 teams, it’s where we want to challenge ourselves and see where we want to be,” said the Tipp boss.

“We look forward to the challenge of the games.

“We have made no secret that from next year on the target will be to push for promotion (from division 4) and we are using this year as a stepping stone towards that, and this will be a good indication of where we are at.”

Another indication will be up against Sligo whom Tipperary played in the group stage last year with the Connacht side running out 3-22 to 1-12 winners at FBD Semple Stadium.

“I was at the game in Thurles,” Ryan added who wasn’t manager at the time.

“They (Sligo) were very comfortable winners, and that would be well recognised by the lads who were involved in the squad last year.

“So, we will be trying to measure where we are from that and into Kildare the week after and then Leitrim.”

Tipperary’s options for the game have been enhanced by the addition of three members of the under 20 panel, Charlie King, Eoin O’Connell, and Daithi Hogan, who have been drafted in following the conclusion of their campaign, joining goalkeeper Robbie McGrath who was already in the senior set-up.

And Philly Ryan revealed they won’t be there to build up the numbers.

“The jerseys are there for everybody,” he insisted.

“There was no secret made of the fact we had left a couple of (panel) spots open for lads that were coming in from the under 20’s.

“They have had two to three weeks training with us, they are showing well in training, stepping up to the level.

“They are not behind the curve, they have played six championship games over the course of their campaign, and the same last year, so they are well blooded. It’s not that they are coming in raw, they are coming in experienced to us.”

He added: “They have probably put us back into a position at underage level where we are probably competing to be the second or third placed team in Munster which is quite a high achievement coming from the level we were.

“They have brought a great energy to training over the last couple of weeks.

“They have improved the standard and the standard has improved on the back of them coming in.”

In terms of injuries, midfielders Cathal Deeley and Mark Russell are the only doubts going into the game off the back of their Munster semi-final defeat to Clare last month.

“It’s the best we have been in a long time,” Ryan added in terms of the injury profile.

“The league and the Tailteann Cup were our two aims, and we would like to get an extended run in the Tailteann Cup so that is what we would be hoping to achieve.”