Power remains positive ahead of do or die relegation derby

By Michael Heverin

TIPPERARY v WATERFORD

Mallow

Saturday, 11th July

Throw-in @ 2.00pm

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway)

Tipperary now face into the game that they didn’t want when they meet neighbours Waterford in the All-Ireland Senior Championship relegation play-off final this weekend.

Manager David Power had hoped that his side would retain senior status at the first attempt, but defeat to Tyrone on Saturday scuttled that plan. Now, it’s another winner-takes-all contest against the Deise.

“We have to remain positive and get ready for the next game and it’s going to be a big challenge”, Power said following the loss to Tyrone in Mullingar.

But despite the disappointment of defeat, he was encouraged again by his side’s performance on Saturday and is hopeful that they can bring the same energy to the Waterford game.

“The effort was just amazing. It was really difficult for the last two weeks to get up for this game but there were so many elements where we did improve. The big difference between the two sides was that Tyrone got their scores a bit easier than us. But in terms of attitude, we were really good”.

Power was critical of Meath referee Angela Gallagher in his post-match comments. “I thought she was very hard on us, extremely hard, and I have no problem saying that. There was a stage in the first half when it was ten frees to two in favour of Tyrone, and I don’t even know what the stats for the second half were. I find that baffling. I don’t think that we got a fair crack of the whip”, he said.

On a more positive note, the Sliabh na mBan clubman was happy to see his side eliminate what had become costly turnovers during the campaign. “It was a lot better, and if we can improve on that again, and also get our conversion rate up, then who knows what might happen. But in terms of application and work-rate, it was really good”, he added.

The championship now comes down to a final sixty minutes against Waterford, a side that beat Tipperary in the earlier rounds of the campaign.

“We have one massive battle and we have to be ready and give it everything. We don’t want to drop down to intermediate level”, he concluded.