OpportunityAwaits

By Shane Brophy

All-Ireland semi-final weekend is the best hurling weekend of the season, and for the first time in six years, Tipperary are involved.

The full-house sign is expected for the first semi-final between Cork and surprise package Dublin on Saturday evening, while on Sunday afternoon, a crowd of close to 50,000 is expected as the age old rivalry between Kilkenny and Tipperary adds a new chapter.

And for the supporters of both counties who have shelled out the sixty euro for a stand ticket (€5 discount for students/OAP) or €45 for the terrace, they will get value for money as the respective senior camogie teams clash in an All-Ireland quarter final, which will add to the sense of occasion.

The focus will be on the senior hurlers, who not many would have believed at the start of the season that they would be in this position, one game away from an All-Ireland final.

After the disappointment of last season, Tipperary’s progression to this stage makes the campaign as a success, but a massive opportunity is ahead of them, to not only get to an All-Ireland Final, but to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup. When you are this close, you have to go for it.

Free swings and bonus territory are meant as helpful sentiments to take some pressure off, but they can be poison for the mind if it seeps in.

While this Tipperary team will be giving away a little in terms of experience to Kilkenny who are in a seventh successive semi-final, Tipp have a panel full of winners, not just the 2019 senior All-Ireland when they defeated Kilkenny in the last championship meeting between the sides, but also as minors and under 20/21’s under current senior boss Liam Cahill.

That mentality cannot be underestimated, and with a re-engaged Tipperary support in tow, it can carry the Premier County to an All-Ireland Final.

However, the challenge from Kilkenny will be massive. They still have the mentality from the Cody era of performing to a consistent level in every game.

They also come in fresh after four weeks off following their Leinster Championship success, and they have shown in semi-finals, they hit the ground running, but they have a tendency to allow teams back into games, as Clare did in the last two semi-finals, winning one.

Tipperary come in match sharp after run outs against Laois and Galway but the level of intensity will be much higher this Sunday, and if they get to the pitch of things early, they are in with a right chance of winning.

Tipperary are reporting a clean bill of health, while Kilkenny should be boosted by the return of star forward Eoin Cody who hasn’t played since the win over Antrim in late April with an ankle injury. Martin Keoghan has carried a hamstring injury in recent weeks but should be fine to line out.

See more on pages 68-71.