WESTSIDE: 'Getting to the semi-final is an unexpected delight for Tipperary'

The hurling rivalry between Tipperary and Kilkenny is one of the most enduring in the sport. It may have waxed and waned over the decades, but it has never lacked passion. We hate losing to each other, and that’s the nub of it.

It’s a rivalry that reached toxic levels in the 1960s. Tipperary ruled the roost for the first half of the decade, but then Kilkenny started making inroads, which piqued the rivalry. 

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They hadn’t beaten Tipperary in a national final since 1922, but the worm turned eventually mid-decade. They took the 1966 league and endorsed it with the 1967 All-Ireland win; Tipperary were the losers on both occasions.

Meanwhile, the bitterness was boiling. The ’66 league game was a fiery affair, and the injury to Tom Walsh in ’67 added fuel to the flames. A major conflagration was coming, and it erupted in May 1968 when the teams met again in the league final at Croke Park.

Donie Nealon later described it as ‘the only day in my career I felt a little bit afraid on the field’. The hits were many, delivered by both sides. The media fumed, none more so than Tipperary’s own, John D. Hickey, writing for the Irish Independent. 

There was fallout. Central Council felt obliged to investigate, and as a result, Tipperary’s John Flanagan and Kilkenny’s goalie, Ollie Walsh, were suspended for six months. Others were either exonerated or warned about future conduct. Kilkenny were enraged over the Walsh suspension.

The Tipperary County Board rather foolishly blamed the media for it all and blacklisted six national journalists. The NUJ responded by banning all mention of Tipperary. A preview of the ’68 All-Ireland final referred to Wexford playing ‘you know who’. It had all become farcical.

Thankfully, the poison of those days is gone, though the rivalry remains visceral. It peaked again during the Cody era, intense and raw at times, but rarely crossing any lines.

The oddity around the Cody period is that we could match them in All-Ireland finals, but on most other days, championship or league, we tended to come off second best. 

We shared out All-Ireland wins, three apiece, but four league finals all went Noreside. There was something about those big days in Croker, which was different.

In terms of All-Ireland semi-finals, we’ve met on six previous occasions, with the score standing at three apiece. However, our last semi-final win was back in 1958, whereas Kilkenny’s three successes were all in the present century, 2002, 2003, and 2012. 

Next Sunday’s fixture is one we never anticipated. Dublin’s ditching of Limerick from the series scuppered all previous expectations. We longed for a shot at Cork but instead have had to refocus on Kilkenny.

The ‘cats’ may be going through their own mini-famine – 10 years since their last All-Ireland win – but for all that, they remain keenly competitive each year. Since 2015, they’ve lost four All-Ireland finals as well as three semi-finals. 

2018 was the last occasion they didn’t make the semis, taken out by Limerick in a quarter-final. They may not be winning outright, but they’re in the mix each season.

They never really go away, do they? They’re forever there or thereabouts, which is a credit to he hurling culture within the county, though I’d imagine this failure to win finals must be something of an irritant. 

They lost two league deciders also in 2023/24. Against that, they’ve completed six in a row in Leinster, though the quality of the opposition adds an asterisk there.

Being ever present in the final stages of the championship each year gives them an edge on Tipperary, who haven’t seen Croke Park action since 2019. Semi-finals are familiar territory for Kilkenny, whereas around two-thirds of Tipperary’s line-out on Sunday will be playing at headquarters for the first time.

Getting to the semi-final is an unexpected delight for Tipperary after a season of revival for the county. Liam Cahill and colleagues have certainly laid a solid foundation this year with the injection of new players and the re-energising of older ones at the heart of the project. 

Earlier in the year, Robert Doyle was the find of the season, but since then we’ve seen the emergence of Andrew Ormond as an attacking force. I must admit I was blindsided on this one. Andrew has been around the panel for a few years, but his previous appearances were mostly at corner forward. 

The move to the half line appears to have removed the shackles, the freedom allowing a fuller expression of his talent. His movement, anticipation, and scoring ability is a real asset to the side.

The quarter-final win over a poor Galway side wasn’t without its blemishes. Arguably, it was one of the weaker performances by the team in recent games. Defensive openness was a worry, one that wasn’t punished on the day; we didn’t get much traction at midfield for a lot of the game, and Darragh McCarthy has been struggling a bit in recent matches.

Progress at this level for younger, aspiring players is rarely linear. There are going to be bumps along the way. Whether it’s Darragh McCarthy, Sam O’Farrell, or Peter McGarry, they’re talented lads on a learning curve.

I don’t anticipate much change to the line-out for Sunday, though inevitably Liam Cahill tends to throw some curveballs with every selection. Alan Tynan must be a strong contender to start, possibly in place of Peter McGarry. 

The substitutes being introduced have worked very effectively in recent games, which raises the issue of whether some of them might start this time. 

Oisin O’Donoghue has certainly left his mark, but his best contribution might still be seen as an impact sub. Darragh Stakelum certainly brings something useful from the bench and Seamus Kennedy is seen as an experienced hand when called upon. The greatest days of his career have been in Croke Park.

Then there’s the case of Noe McGrath, the wise old seer who brings calm to the chaos of hurling. I’m sure there’s an in-house debate around whether he should start or whether it’s best to hold him back for that crucial final quarter. 

You could build a case for either side of the argument, but I’m swayed by the need for having something in reserve for the home straight, assuming the game isn’t beyond you at that stage.

The one certainty with Kilkenny is that they’ll bring a characteristically stubborn challenge. Since 2019, their average losing margin in All-Ireland semi-finals and finals is 4.4 points. Last year, they lost to Clare by a mere two points in the semi. 

They have a sprinkling of talismanic names from Eoin Murphy in goal, Huw Lawlor at full back to TJ Reid in attack. These are leaders who drive their best efforts. Paddy Deegan is a wily defender, too. 

Cian Kenny has been doing well at midfield, and Adrian Mullen is a mobile threat in attack. Martin Keoghan has already notched 6-8 in this championship, and the possible return of Eoin Cody would further strengthen that forward division.

I notice some bookies have kept Kilkenny at evens with Tipperary drifting slightly to 11/10. I would have thought a coldly analytical assessment would put Kilkenny as favourites on the basis of their greater experience at this level against a more novice Tipp side. 

It may be a tad too soon for a developing Tipperary team, but we’ll certainly hope not. Wouldn’t another crack at Cork in the final be some prospect to anticipate?

Yes, I expect Cork to burst the Dublin bubble in the other semi, though it will be a nervy one for Pat Ryan and company. 

After so many near misses and false dawns, the stars do seem to be finally aligned for the Rebels, especially with the exit of Limerick. 

Great expectations then for the weekend ahead.

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