Seniors to line out for Under 20’s in Munster Final

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary will be at full strength for this evenings (Wednesday) Munster Under 20 Hurling Final against Clare.

With the senior hurlers facing a season defining game against Waterford next Sunday, including three players that have featured for the under 20’s so far, Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins has named captain Sam O’Farrell, Darragh McCarthy and Oisin O’Donoghue in his starting line-up which is unchanged from the side that started against Clare in the round-robin clash between the sides on April 16th last, including full back Aaron O’Halloran who limped off in their last game against Waterford with an ankle injury which wasn’t as bad as first feared.

The immediate concern following Saturday’s senior game against Clare was over captain Sam O’Farrell who limped out in the closing stages but Cummins revealed it was just cramp such was the effort he put in.

“Sam has an unbelievable engine and is one of these unique players that will keep running until he falls down,” revealed the Tipperary manager.

“It happened him last year a couple of times for us, he just maxes out, and you have to scrape him off the pitch. That’s a reflection of the man’s attitude and the way he plays, he just goes for it, and when he falls down, he says I can’t give any more. Another player would slow down and try and try and play out the last few minutes, but Sam only knows only one gear and that is max speed and that is why he is as valuable as he is to the future of Tipperary hurling.”

There will be a lot of focus on Darragh McCarthy in what will be his first game since his sending off in the early seconds of the seniors defeat to Cork. Considering the Toomevara man was rested for Tipp’s final round-robin under 20 game against Waterford, the talismanic forward hasn’t pucked a ball in anger since the senior match against Limerick almost a month ago.

“I sense with Darragh all the time a great composure and a great maturity,” Cummins added.

“He was unfortunate that day in Cork but that is gone, he understands that. He will play his part, we have a squad there and will have fifteen on the pitch who will know that their job is, including Darragh.

“Him, like all the rest of the players can’t wait to get going and play. At the start of March when we were leaving the dressing room after the Limerick game, everybody was so disappointed with the way the thing worked out and to be where we are now is a testament to the resilience of the players that we have within the group.”

Cummins thanked senior manager Liam Cahill for making the senior players available to play, including Oisin O’Donoghue who made his senior championship debut as a second half sub last Saturday evening.

“Liam (Cahill) understands, being a former under 20/21 manager with huge success, the situation we are in,” Cummins said.

“From my point of view, my sole goal is to develop players, and get them ready to play senior hurling for Tipperary. If you can win along the way, that’s an acceleration to their progress and confidence going into a senior set-up.”

Tipperary come into this final fresh having not played competitively since defeating Waterford three weeks ago whereas Clare come in match sharp having played two games in the meantime, beating Limerick to progress to the semi-final where they edged out Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Wednesday.

“It has been tricky in a lot of ways but a good complaint to have, especially after the Limerick game in the first round,” Cummins said of the three week break.

“It has tested the strength of the internal games that we have played, which have challenged the group and the group have responded very well to it.

“With Clare hurling their third game in as many weeks and this being our first game in three weeks, you never really know until the first two or three minutes to see how we are going but preparations have been fine.”

Tipperary’s best performance in the round robin section came against Clare when they recorded a 3-21 to 0-21 win in Sixmilebridge last month where Conor Martin (2) and Paddy McCormack were the goal-scorers. However, Cummins says that game will count for little in this final.

“We played Cork last year and beat them by eleven points in the Stadium, but it took a last minute point from Darragh McCarthy to beat them in the Munster final,” Cummins warned of reading too much into past encounters.

“Clare are extremely good; you only have to look at their record from three years ago when it (minor final) went to penalties.

“They would have been upset with Sixmilebridge and I can see the intensity and fight they have. They are really going to fancy their chances, they have two wins under their belt in a row, both games away from home, so that gives you huge confidence and will give them an abundance of energy. We have to meet that head on and do our thing.

“Clare are a proud county; they will be hurting as well after last Saturday night when their seniors were beaten and will be looking to get one back and we just have to be ready and hopefully we will.”

Nineteen Tipperary players remain eligible from last years Munster final success as the Premier County look to put back-to-back under 20/21 titles together for the first time since 2003 & 2004.

“Last year is gone, it doesn’t have any relevance to what we are doing now,” Cummins stressed.

“We just have to make sure we are ready to bring a performance against these Clare lads because we know what is coming.

“Consistency of approach and consistency of the process is important for us. This is our third Munster final in four years that we have been lucky enough to be part of. It’s that level of consistency as well which is important to the management team, that the players perform at a level.”

Tipperary team v Clare: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Jim Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt); Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal English (Father Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).

Subs: Daire English (Father Sheehy’s), Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Eire Og), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), Jack Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens), Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch/Drombane), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Robbie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill)

Other panel members: Damien Corbett (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Tom Delaney (Borris-Ileigh), Jake Donelan-Houlihan (Nenagh Eire Og), Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall), Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane), Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan-Dualla), Jake Hackett (Toomevara), Andy Hoolan (Moneygall), Callum Lanigan (Carrick Swan), Cillian Minogue (Thurles Sarsfields), Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill), Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe), Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Jack Quinlan (Fethard), Sam Rowan (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan).