Tipp 23's looking forward to welcome break after booking semi-final spot

By Joe Scully

It was a delighted and relieved Bryan Darcy speaking in the aftermath of Tipperary’s one-point win over Galway in the Under 23 All-Ireland group stage on Sunday afternoon.

“Relief is one way of putting it,” began the Nenagh Eire Og clubman.

“The girls fought hard right from the start. They got stuck into it right from the beginning and built up a good lead.

“If there is anything negative from the game, it’s the lead we let go over the course of the second half, but look we came out with the win, at the end of it and that puts us in a better position in the table, and that was exactly what we wanted.”

For Darcy, the two goals his side got just before half time were the crucial moments in the game and just reward for how his team had performed in the opening period.

“It was a big push on for the girls,” he added.

“It probably gave them that extra bit of a lift, going in at the half and it probably complimented our work in the first half, so it was good to get a few extra points on the board at the break.

“We knew Galway would come out in the second half and throw everything at us, which they did, and I thought the girls dug in deep and fought hard for everything and came out with a massive result.”

For the Nenagh native he was proud of how his side defended throughout a continuation of their defensive efforts all year.

“All the moments in the game are massive and the penalty save in particular being one of them, and they all come into play later on in the game,” he continued.

“The defensive unit have been very solid all year and we haven’t had much issues back there and today was no different.

“Obviously legs get tired, the heat and not being used to the heat, it plays havoc with the body, but we have players more than capable of coming on and finishing off the job, which we did so we’re happy enough with that as well.”

The win puts Tipp into a semi-final with a game to spare when they play Cork in two weeks in their final group match, and for Darcy it’s a chance for much needed rest for his players after a busy schedule.

“The girls will be delighted to have a few days off for rest and recovery,” added the Tipp manager.

“We haven’t had a week off since the Munster semi-final against Waterford, so they are looking forward to a few days off, deservedly so, and then we will get ready for the Cork game and see where that takes us.”