Tipp need to overcome recent history to get back on track

GAA: Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 Preview

By Shane Brophy

WATERFORD v TIPPERARY

Azzurri Walsh Park, Waterford

Sunday, 26th April

Throw-in @ 4.00pm

Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin)

The margin for error has certainly narrowed for the Tipperary senior hurlers as they look to get their first points of the Munster Championship away to Waterford on Sunday.

The Deise are in the same boat following their exciting 2-33 to 4-21 defeat by Clare in Ennis last Sunday with Shane Bennett scoring 3-12 in a losing effort.

While they would have liked to have gotten off to a winning start in their attempt to qualify from the round-robin format for the first time, Waterford would have been likely targeting their upcoming home games against Tipperary and Cork as their best chance to accumulate the points required to progress.

While on the face of it, this game looks like a knockout clash between two first round losers, it is just the second time a meeting of first round losers has taken place in the championship when in 2024 Cork and Clare squared off with the Banner emerging as winners, and yet still both teams ended up in the All-Ireland Final.

So, losing won’t be fatal for either team on Sunday but their championship hopes would be left hanging by a thread, even with winning their final two games, it could be out of their hands if it comes to head-to-head or score difference.

For Tipperary, to progress, they need to start breaking some ducks. The first was to beat Cork and home for the first time since 2016; that didn’t happen. Next up is to get a first championship win in Walsh Park since the round-robin began after suffering a defeat in 2022 and a last gasp draw two years later. Tipp would then have to get a first home win over Clare in this format, and then do the same away to Limerick. It shows just how poor Tipp’s record is in the Munster round robin, and still they have won two All-Ireland titles in that time, strange indeed.

But back to next Sunday as Liam Cahill takes his Tipperary to Waterford whom he managed for three years from 2020 to 2022, reaching an All-Ireland Final in his first year, and also lowered the colours of his native county in championship twice in that time.

“We'll have to have a real look at it and fix a few little things that popped up and go to Walsh Park with areal pep in our step now, because we have to. It's a huge game for both sides,” said the Tipperary manager after the defeat to Cork.

Reflecting on his team selection for that game, particularly All-Ireland final starters Sam O’Farrell and Darragh McCarthy beginning from the bench, Cahill explained: “Darragh's shoulder just didn't come right in time for him to get the work he required in.

“But he'll come on from today's 30-odd minutes or whatever, 35 minutes. So, that should be a help for him as we lead into Walsh Park.

“Stefan Tobin deserved his chance to play in the inside forward line. He was training really well and we were prepared to give Stefan his chance.”

With so much at stake on Sunday, it’s hard not to think that all bets will be off and the Tipperary management will go back to the tried and trusted with McCarthy and O’Farrell coming back into the starting line-up. Indeed, O’Farrell’s late cameo, along with that of Darragh Stakelum and Alan Tynan will have given the management plenty of food for thought as they brought the energy and willingness to show for the ball that was largely lacking up to then.

No injuries were reported after the defeat to Cork so it is all about recovery this week and getting the energy levels up to a place where Tipp can show the best of themselves.

Two years ago, Tipp were in a similar position going to Waterford six days after a heavy loss to Limerick and came away with a draw. That’s the mindset that is needed again.

This is where the benefit of being All-Ireland champions should count for something, retaining their composure and confidence in their own ability that they can get the result they need on Sunday which would mean Tipp would have more points after two games this year than they did last year. That’s the fine margins of the Munster Championship.