Tipp need to put lessons learned into practice

GAA: Tailteann Cup Senior Football Round 3 Preview

By Shane Brophy

WICKLOW v TIPPERARY

Echelon Park, Aughrim

Saturday, 6th June

Throw-in @ 5.00pm (E.T.)

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)

Tipperary head back to the scene of their poorest performance of the year so far as they look to extend their season by reaching the quarter finals of the Tailteann Cup for the first time.

The senior footballers have certainly put in the miles in this campaign with away days in the Tailteann Cup, a win over Sligo in the first round followed by defeat to Antrim last time out which has them in the last chance saloon against Wicklow this Saturday.

For the loser, it will be the end of the road for the season while for the winner, a quarter final berth awaits the following weekend, and being one game away from a guaranteed day out at Croke Park for the semi-finals.

The familiarity of the journey to and the picturesque venue the foothills of the Wicklow mountains that is Aughrim will be helpful too from a Tipp point of view from their league clash on March 15th last, but not a repeat of the result and performance when the home side were decisive 3-19 to 0-14 winners.

Tipperary manager Niall Fitzgerald will be more than aware of the strengths Wicklow possess from that game, particularly their two-point threats from the likes Kevin Quinn, Oisin McGraynor and goalkeeper Mark Jackson so discipline will be key among the areas Tipp will focus on this week.

The flow of that game was similar to that of Tipp’s recent defeat to Antrim where they dominated the ball into the breeze but lacked the physicality to penetrate a well-drilled Wicklow side who were extremely athletic on the counter-attack so not handing them opportunities to turn defence into attack will also be high in terms of the game-plan.

Jack O’Neill is the only injury concern for Tipp with a shoulder injury sustained late on in the defeat over Antrim but much of the focus from a selection viewpoint will be how much power can be added to the Tipp side.

The Premier were destroyed under the long kickout in the league encounter but since then Joe Higgins has come into his own in terms of high fielding. However, Tipp could do with someone to compliment him, which they have in Steven O’Brien but the management have been cautious in how much he is able to give with ongoing injury issues. His impact was notable off the bench against Antrim when he scored 1-1 and with this being a knockout clash, he might be worth playing from the start and getting as much from him as possible.

This might also be a game to consider Paddy Creedon getting his first start since coming over from the senior hurlers. The Thurles Sarsfields clubman made his first appearance in the corresponding league fixture, scoring two points from play off the bench and did similar in Antrim two weeks ago.

However, it is his physicality and power which would be an asset from the start, another player to help punch a hole through a defence, potentially at the expense of Cian Smith who has come off the boil in recent matches but would have a real impact off the bench in the second half when players tire and the game becomes stretched.

This is a talented Wicklow team but they are vulnerable when expectation is placed upon them, epitomised in the last two league campaigns when they missed out on promotion on the final day when it was in their hands.

They almost shocked Dublin in the Leinster Championship but then came out in round 1 of the Tailteann Cup and were well beaten by Laois before rebounding with a strong nine point win over Limerick.

For Tipp to upset the odds, they need to learn the lessons from the league encounter and the defeat to Antrim, being braver on the ball in attack, working in pairs to penetrate the Wicklow rearguard. Defensively, they cannot afford to switch off as it is those lapses which have led to the concession of cheap goals.

Even a small break such as winning the toss would be helpful as Tipp tend to get their best results when they have the first half breeze and get ahead on the scoreboard as chasing deficits in the second half, even with aid of the elements, they have found hard to overcome.