Tipp could do with confidence boosting win against dangerous Waterford

Tipperary will hope summer time will provide a fresher outlook as they open their Munster Senior Football Championship campaign against Waterford this Sunday.

GAA: Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter Final Preview

By Shane Brophy

WATERFORD v TIPPERARY

Fraher Field, Dungarvan

Sunday, 7th April

Throw-in @ 2.00pm (E.T. & Pens)

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)

Clare await the winners in the semi-final, and ordinarily Tipperary would be hotly favoured to set-up that match-up but this game has banana-skin written all over it from a Premier County point of view.

Even during the good times for Tipperary football over the last fifteen years, Waterford never feared the their neighbours, and always provided a tough examination.

Considering Tipp’s disappointing league campaign where they recorded just four points from a possible fourteen, including a draw with Waterford, the Deise will feel this is their best opportunity to win a Munster Championship game for the first time since 2010.

Waterford last defeated Tipperary in the championship in 1988, one of just nine wins for the Deise in their 54 meetings in the championship, with the Premier County having recorded forty wins, including two in last years championship, a Munster quarter final, as well as round-robin clash in the Tailteann Cup.

Both those games were close on the scoreboard and considering the only point Waterford won in the National League was from the draw in Bansha last month, it shows the lack of fear they have of playing their great rivals.

Tipperary’s quest for victory on Sunday won’t be helped by the absence of league top-scorer Sean O’Connor who will miss the game through injury. While Conor Sweeney still working his way back from long term injury and with captain Steven O’Brien in a race against time to be bit, it leaves Tipperary short on experience and quality to make sure they leave Dungarvan on Sunday with a place booked in the next round.

With so many players having retired and or drifted from the panel since the high of the 2020 Munster Championship victory, the transition was always going to be difficult considering Tipperary’s struggles at underage level since 2015 when they reached the under 21 and minor All-Ireland finals in the same seasons.

Following that with the minor hurling and football championships developing into a round-robin format where it meant dual players couldn’t be accommodated any more, the greater impact was always going to be on football with the better dual players focusing on hurling.

The next wave of player coming through just aren’t of the same level so far, of the likes of Brian Fox, Robbie Kiely, Michael Quinlivan & co, so new manager Paul Kelly is really dealing with a complete rebuild of a squad, including having to blood sixteen players in the league with little or no top-level football experience.

Tipp’s struggles in division 4 have highlighted how the talent base for football in the county has narrowed, and for the moment he has to develop the best of what he has, and that will take more than one National League campaign or indeed championship season to get started.

A help would be any type of a win next Sunday against Waterford, just to boost the confidence levels, as a loss would be demoralising, and leave Tipperary with a lot of time on their hands before entering the Tailteann Cup next month.

Team Manager Paul Kelly and his management team have named the following starting 15 and subs for the game.

1 (GK) Evan Comerford Kilsheelan/Kilcash

2 Tadhg Condon Clonmel Commercials

3 Jimmy Feehan Killenaule

4 Colm O'Shaughnessy Ardfinnan

5 James Morris Clonmel Commercials

6 Paudie Feehan Killenaule

7 Kieran Costello Thurles Sarsfields

8 Stephen Grogan Cahir

9 Conall Kennedy Clonmel Commercials

10 Conor Cadell JK Brackens

11 Cathal Deely Clonmel Commercials

12 Peter Mcgarry Clonmel Commercials

13 Riain Quigley Moyle Rovers

14 Mark Stokes Kilsheelan/Kilcash

15 Jack Kennedy Clonmel Commercials

SUBS

16 Jack Rogers Naas

17 Luke Boland Moyle Rovers

18 Teddy Doyle Ballina

19 Jack Kennedy JK Brackens

20 Jack Leamy Golden Kilfeacle

21 Emmet Moloney Portlaoise

22 Shane Neville Cratloe

23 Shane O'Connell Golden Kilfeacle

24 Rory O'Dowd Clonmel Commercials

25 Mark Russell Aherlow

26 Conor Sweeney Ballyporeen

Bainisteoir Paul Kelly

Roghnóir (1) Hugh Kenny

Roghnóir (2) Michael O'Sullivan

Roghnóir (3) Paul Fitzgerald

Roghnóir (4) Paddy O'Connor