Dan McCormack in possession with Clare's Aidan McCarthy advancing. Photograph: Bridget Delaney

Tipp’s rehabilitation is underway

A winning start to the League was a good tonic in late January and a big crowd to watch signalled the interest in what the new regime might bring.

Fire and brimstone appears to be the initial answer judging by the animation of Liam Sheedy on the sideline. Whatever limitations might become apparent as the year unfolds you would expect that lack of zest for the battle will hardly be one of them. The notion of ‘hunger’ is often reduced to cliché value but we saw last year even within games how we were off the pace only to find an inner resolve when we were under the pump. If only the latter had been our default setting. It certainly could have been a longer summer anyhow.

The confidence of champions was apparent in Limerick’s win over Wexford. It is the kind of game that they might have lost in previous times but winning an All-Ireland brings a solidity of performance leaving aside the fact that you have to be at a certain standard to win in the first place. Being the MacCarthy Cup holders probably gives you an aura that is not necessarily always your due which makes you a trickier prospect even when not at full throttle. A win at the Gaelic Grounds would go some way towards furthering Tipp’s rehabilitation and with an eye further down the road it would always be good to get points under the belt sooner rather than relying on later.

 

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