Developing Tipp finding it difficult to stay the course

Tipperary v Kildare Tailteann Cup analysis

By Stephen Barry

If you stopped the clock on 60 minutes on Saturday, Tipperary would’ve left Clonmel a whole lot more optimistic with their Kildare defeat.

They recovered from a lousy start to outscore the Lilywhites by 1-9 to 1-3 for a 25-minute stretch either side of half-time. But there were signs that Tipp may struggle to stay the full course.

Kildare’s size, power, endurance, experience, and depth loaded the deck in their favour. The baking sunshine in Clonmel only exacerbated that disadvantage.

Tipp also had to navigate a six-day turnaround from their exertions on a long road trip to Tubbercurry. By comparison, Kildare enjoyed their upgraded home comforts in a 25-point stroll past Leitrim and an extra day’s rest.

Don’t change a winning team, it’s often said. Well, visiting manager Brian Flanagan had the luxury of making seven changes without weakening their hand. Daniel Flynn racked up 2-4 on his first start of the season. He was a crossbar width away from making it a hat-trick.

For all the available excuses or explanations, Tipp will still be disappointed with how they allowed Kildare to assert themselves in the opening twenty minutes. They may be Tailteann front-runners, but they were shown too much respect.

Incredibly, the Lilies got off a remarkable ten shots before Tipp registered their first attempt. That was despite the fact that the hosts were playing with the wind advantage.

Tipp failed to get off a shot from their first seven attacks. Three times, careless passing saw the ball roll harmlessly over the endline.

Their initial plan was clear and pragmatic. Avoid contact as much as possible. Mind the ball above all else. Shane Ryan’s first kick-out went short but didn’t find its target. Kildare could’ve had a goal chance. Tipp recovered to force a point instead.

As Ryan was coerced to go long more often, Kildare’s midfield superiority and breaking-ball nous became evident.

The Premier have developed a happy trend of unsettling opponents with early goals. They did have one opening in that one-sided spell. Daithí Hogan did well to unlock the defence, but his pass across to Darragh Brennan was overhit.

There were standout turnovers by Cian Smith and Mark Stokes. The team just couldn’t piece together a full move against waves of white jerseys.

The only relief was Kildare’s poor conversion. After their opening brace, five of their next six shots were booted wide.

Tipp struggled to coalesce their kick-out press. When they did force a contest, it reaped immediate benefits.

The impressive Smith broke Tipp’s duck with a two-point free, which gave his teammates time to get everyone in position. Steven O’Brien batted the restart down for Brennan, who released Hogan through on goal. A tad more composure could’ve resulted in a goal rather than a point.

That will come with more games for the under 20 star. Having just graduated to make his senior debut in the past fortnight, he has now put together back-to-back seventy minutes full of involvement.

When Tipperary did rattle the net, it came from another kick-out. Seán O’Connor read Didier Cordonnier’s intentions and intercepted. He made all the right decisions to draw in the scrambling defenders before freeing Brennan to finish.

However, it was O’Connor’s one major involvement. From the very first ball kicked into attack, it was notable how Mark Dempsey outpaced the star forward. Philly Ryan later revealed he wasn’t fully right. He didn’t reappear after half-time. Tipp will need him against Leitrim.

Having been so wayward early on, Kildare recalibrated their shooting to register 1-5 from their next six shots.

They hadn’t scored a goal against Leitrim. With Flynn inside, they looked determined to rectify that statistic. There were a couple of prior warnings as Paudie Feehan and Shane Ryan spoiled first-half opportunities. An unmarked Flynn later hit the crossbar.

When Tipp didn’t get pressure on the kick-out, they got punished. All three goals originated from Cordonnier’s boot. In each case, Kildare sliced through all too easily.

Jack Harney’s injury proved a significant blow. Luke Boland was relocated from centre-back to the edge of the square to compensate, but the balance was off.

Mark Russell, who has been playing through injury, was called ashore before half-time. Under 20 graduate Eoin O’Connell was handed a baptism of fire as Tipp tried different markers on Flynn. On initial viewing, O’Connell appeared unlucky for the 43rd minute penalty as management protested on the sideline. Moments earlier, Hogan was controversially denied a free. Instead of a one-point game, the gap was five.

By then, the bigger issue was Tipp’s tiring bodies. The scoreless streaks reoccurred. Twice against both Clare and Sligo, Tipp went over a quarter of an hour without raising a flag. It happened three times against Kildare.

On the hour, the difference was still just six points. For a finish, the visitors exploited all their advantages to string together 1-6.

The damage to Tipp’s score difference could affect their prospects of progression to the preliminary quarter-final. The best three third-placed teams advance. One will miss out.

In 2023, Tipp won the final round, but a score difference of -28 left them as the odd one out. In 2024, they won the final round and ended on -19 score difference. It was enough to pip Waterford for progression.

This year, they enter the final round on -19. Beating Leitrim is the minimum requirement. If they do that, it comes down to their record against the Group 3 third-placed team to avoid missing out.

London (-20) face Antrim (-24). Tipp need to win and keep their noses in front of the corresponding victors. Calculators at the ready!