Tipperary hurlers need strong resistance as favourites Cork come to town

Lest we forget: when Cork came to Semple Stadium for last year’s Munster Championship tie they delivered an 18-point drubbing to the locals. It was Liam Cahill’s worst moment since taking charge of the side. Beatings of that magnitude aren’t easily forgotten.

It was a day when The Rebels ran riot and Tipperary wilted badly, especially in the second half. Alan Connolly hit a hat-trick of goals. Connolly was in the news again last week after receiving a red card for a reckless tackle on Tipperary’s Michael Corcoran in the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final.

Such is the backdrop to this Saturday’s league tie at the Stadium (throw-in 7.30). Tipperary’s promising start to the league comes under further scrutiny against a side rated second favourites for league and All-Ireland titles this year. The top fancy is still Limerick.

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For Cork there is a sense that silverware, of any sort, is paramount in 2025. They haven’t won the league since 1998, which is an incredible 27-year gap. Put in context, it’s ten years longer than Tipperary’s last league win in 2008.

As a county that has been building momentum in recent years, there is a widespread feeling that a national title is crucial for The Rebels in 2025. With that in mind, their opening two games in the league series showed serious intent. They swatted aside Wexford in the opening round, where the margin was fifteen points.

Their second game was an abrasive affair with Limerick. Having beaten the Shannonsiders twice in championship 2024, it was always going to be a spicy one. Cork probably should have lost that match but the referee played on for a Darragh Fitzgibbon late equaliser.

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Cork’s lineout featured eight of the fifteen that started last year’s All-Ireland final and the substitutes introduced included Pat Horgan, Mark Coleman and Conor Lehane. Overall, experimentation was kept to a minimum.

Cork appear to be bringing serious commitment to this league.

For Tipperary the priorities are somewhat different. Liam Cahill’s team is a work in progress. There’s been a significant injection of young blood, which thus far has shown promise. However, nobody should be under any illusion: this is a time-defined project.

Top priority for Tipperary in early 2025 was an encouraging start to the new season and that has been achieved. The Galway win - and in particularly its emphatic nature - was a real bonus. Two points against Wexford was a more expected outcome.

The Limerick match brought the anticipated defeat but there was enough in the performance to sustain early impressions of a side fit, firing and, above all, willing to have a go - and to sustain it. Maintaining that impression is now the challenge as Cork rock up to Tom Semple’s field.

As ever, the team announcement will be keenly anticipated. Players like Sam O’Farrell and Dylan Walsh, heroes of the Galway match, have been nursing injuries; Michael Corcoran had to be substituted following that tackle in the Fitzgibbon Cup, though he subsequently played in the final. Assessing player availability will be a priority this week.

Liam Cahill has made no secret of his aim to use the league to build a settled team ahead of the championship. With that in mind you’d expect an element of continuity as we progress through the six-match series.

The defence is certainly taking on a settled appearance at present, so adjustments might be minimal there. The midfield partnership of Willie Connors and Craig Morgan was second best against Limerick but there may be a feeling that they did well in previous games and deserve perseverance.

A worry against Limerick was the paucity of second half scores. There was a heavy reliance on Darragh McCarthy frees, despite sterling work from the likes of Seanie Kenneally and Alan Tynan.
Interestingly, Gearoid O’Connor made a praiseworthy ten-point contribution (four from play) to UL’S Fitzgibbon Cup win last Saturday. His team mates included Aaron Morgan and Michael Corcoran. It was O’Connor’s third Fitzgibbon win.

Overall, Cork will be the bookies’ fancy on Saturday, so Tipperary will again be looking for stout-hearted resistance from all. Easy capitulation is not an option and if the side needs motivation, then look no further than last year’s surrender. Never again, has to be the battle cry.

Our last league meeting with Cork was at Semple Stadium back in 2021 when Jason Forde rescued the home side with a last-minute levelling free. Historically, Cork have a slight edge in league encounters, though the last six meetings show Tipperary ahead on three wins, Cork with two and that draw from the most recent clash.

Elsewhere, this weekend the GAA Congress takes place in Donegal. On the agenda – at last – is Conor O’Donovan’s proposal for reform of the handpass rule. Credit to the Nenagh Eire Og clubman, he’s campaigned passionately on this issue over many years, so getting his Congress moment now is richly deserved.

The handpass – more accurately hand-throw – is an issue that won’t go away and there’s a reason for that: it remains a stain on the game, despite all efforts to address the problem in terms of enforcement. Eventually the penny has to drop: trying to enforce the unenforceable won’t work.

With excellent timing, the Tipp/Limerick league game offered a stark reminder of just how much an issue the problem remains. Seldom has one game sparked so much commentary on the sheer abundance of hand-throws. It’s central to Limerick’s style of play, though we can throw the ball in Tipperary too.

When the rules of Gaelic football were seen as problematic the Association responded with drastic changes. Yet there’s no such enthusiasm for addressing a hurling problem. The Association has dragged its feet on this issue and would continue to do so but for the perseverance of Conor O’Donovan.

Part of the issue is that some high profile and influential people have opposed change. These range from national pundits to managers, both ex and present.

In part, I suspect, there’s a laziness here, an unwillingness to acknowledge the problem exists and to work out a solution.

The hurling pundits carry a lot of blame. Donal Óg Cusack, at least, is out-front opposing change while so many of his colleagues are skulking in the background, staying non-committed.

As a result, when the issue is addressed (very rarely) we have Donal Óg pointing out where the referee wrongly penalised a legitimate handpass. Of course, he never points out the many throws that weren’t penalised and he has free rein because the other pundits sit mutely in the background.
If this proposal was a stab in the dark then wariness might be understandable.

But it was tried and tested over a year ago in the Freshers’ league. The criticisms of the proposal proved unfounded, with the feedback being very positive. Players adapted to the new method seamlessly after minimal preparation. Very few illegal passes were detected and penalised.

As well as eliminating illegal passes, which was the primary purpose of the change, there were other side benefits such as fewer rucks and a focus on moving the ball faster rather than taking it into contact.

So, what is being voted on at the weekend has been tried and has passed the test. Now, let’s hope it passes the Congress examination. Otherwise, we’re doomed to more of the same until eventually people see the light. One thing for sure: this issue isn’t going away.

P.S. Advance notice of the Supporters’ Club ‘Night at the Dogs’ fundraiser, which takes place on March 1. As well as supporting the hurlers’ training fund, great entertainment is guaranteed, with team members present, as well as special guest Johnny B. €20 tickets guarantee entry for special prizes, whether you attend or not.