PREVIEW: Back to back within the grasp of Tipperary U20s ahead of Munster decider

Tipperary’s U20 hurlers are on the hunt for back-to-back Munster titles next Wednesday evening, where they will travel back to the scene of the epic 2024 success to take on Clare in what will be a big occasion for the players and management.

You have to go back to 2004 for the last time that Tipperary retained their title at the U21/U20 grade when Diarmuid Fitzgerald of Roscrea captained the side to that brilliant win over Cork in Semple Stadium that day; so the carrot of emulating that achievement is certainly there for the group ahead of the game.

The success of the underage teams in the last four or so years has kept the life support going for Tipperary hurling, certainly, keeping the pulses racing in the Tipperary support base at large, and it could be a big push on for the senior hurlers ahead of their clash with Waterford on Sunday afternoon.

It’s been quite the turnaround for the team since the loss to Limerick in the first round in April. With the vast majority of the starting team from last year’s Munster success and run to the All-Ireland final still in situ, there was big expectation that this group would be in the shake up this year again, so the loss the the Treaty on that evening in Thurles left a lot of supporters perplexed and questioning the management team.

However, with the pressure on for the remaining three games, Brendan Cummins and his charges answered back emphatically with excellent, comprehensive wins away to Cork and Clare, along with a good win against Waterford in the final group game, minus the services of Darragh McCarthy and Sam O’Farrell.

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Straight passage to the final was secured in the process, and it has given Tipperary time to prepare for the game and size up the opposition too, after Cork and Clare played their semi-final last week. So, it has worked out pretty splendidly for Cummins and co in that regard.

Still, there is a potential pitfall to contend with should after the Tipperary senior hurlers got a win in Ennis last weekend. Still, they need to defeat Waterford the following Sunday to ensure passage out of Munster, and with the U20 final just four days beforehand, the availability of McCarthy and O’Farrell could come into question; even though they have been named to start.

Brendan Cummins has stated endlessly in interviews over the pair that the senior team will take precedence, so it will leave the team short should that situation arise.

Regardless, this is a talented crop of players and, in the absence of McCarthy and O’Farrell, the likes of Paddy McCormack, Oisin O’Donoghue, and Adam Daly, to name a few, have really stepped up in this year’s championship.

Between the three of them, they have amassed a big total of 3-29 throughout the championship, and it speaks to the depth available to Brendan Cummins and his management, something that should mean they will be expectant of a positive result regardless of the players available.

There was a big reshuffle of the pack after the Limerick loss as well - that has worked a treat - with Jim Ryan slotting into centre back to great effect while youngsters in Adam Ryan and Cathal O’Reilly have brought extra edge to the team.

Winning Munster finals is never an easy prospect regardless of the grade or opposition and the challenge of either Clare or Cork will be a stiff one.

Whatever the case may be come Wednesday, if the full complement isn’t available to Cummins, it will at least mean that the county will be on a positive bounce after a good result in Ennis, and they should be able to use that to bounce in Limerick.