Avoiding defeat will see Tipp Under 20 Footballers through
GAA: Dalata Hotel Group Munster Under 20 Football Championship Preview
By Stephen Barry
WATERFORD v TIPPERARY
Pairc Naomh Brid, Lemybrien
Friday, 3rd April
Throw-in @ 7.00pm
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)
The task has been significantly clarified for the Tipperary U20 footballers as they head for Lemybrien on Friday evening.
With Clare emerging 1-12 to 0-6 victors over Waterford in their delayed round 2 fixture last weekend, a draw or win will suffice to send the Blue & Gold through to the second phase alongside Kerry, Cork, and table-toppers Clare.
Only one point separates Tipp (+2) and Waterford (+1) on score difference, which underlines the even nature of Friday’s encounter. The Déise’s four-goal victory over Limerick was more impressive than Tipp’s, but the Premier gave Clare a closer contest in their five-point defeat.
“There's serious work being put in by Paul Power and Loughie, Michael O'Loughlin, over the last couple of years,” said Tipp manager Paddy O’Gorman of the Waterford challenge.
“We knew when we played them last year they'd have a lot of them lads there again this year, so it'll be one hell of a battle.”
It took three halves of football before the Tipp 20s hit their stride. Trailing Limerick by 2-6 to 1-3 at half-time, they were lifted by the introduction of Dylan Cotter. The Thurles Gaels prospect contributed two points and two goal involvements off the bench.
They have heavy scorers in Charlie Walsh, who registered 1-4 on his first start of the campaign, and Liam Freaney. The captain was relocated to centre-forward to offer more of a physical presence in the middle third, but still chipped in with 2-4, created the other goal, and won a penalty.
Those kick-out battles are key for Tipp. They got wiped out in the first half in Clare and paid the price. With Cotter’s influence, their two second-half goals to turn the tide against Limerick originated from kick-outs.
They have conceded in bursts, 1-6 without reply in Quilty, 1-5 without reply in New Inn. They showed they can wreak similar havoc on opponents, blitzing Limerick for 2-5 down the stretch.
They have yet to bed in a full-back, with Cillian Ryan, Danny Morris, and Seán Griffin all rotating through the role. That selection will be an interesting one. In each of their shock victories across the past two years, Waterford have scored four second-half goals. Tipp can’t allow them that route into the match.
This crop were 3-18 to 1-3 winners over their Suirside neighbours at minor level three years ago. Waterford have four players still starting from that encounter against Tipp’s seven. However, half of the Déise team were starters in last year’s U20 championship, including the high-scoring duo of Paddy McCarthy and Joe Brennan.
They beat Clare in the opening round last year but couldn’t capitalise, missing the top two on score difference. They’ll be keen not to let a promising start slip again this year.
Senior captain Conor Murray expressed the hope stored by Waterford football in this crew. “We have a good under-20 team at the moment,” he said at the Munster Championship launch last week.
“Hopefully, those lads coming through now will fully commit to it and stick at it.
“It gives us a boost, but more so it gives them confidence. We have a few of them involved with the panel. You see the confidence they have when they come back in training.
“Hopefully, that's something that they can bring into us, and that confidence can feed through to the more senior players as well.”