Shortage of emerging talent is hampering Tipperary senior hurlers

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Discussions around league form always come with a caveat. Definitive conclusions carry a health warning because the real business of the season has yet to commence.

Nonetheless, on a week when we anticipate the final clash of Clare and Kilkenny, there are interesting markers to be noted from the series of games played out over the last few months.

Of course, there’s no shortage of conspiracy theorists playing silly beggars. Limerick’s defeat was all part of a devious plot by John Kiely to hoodwink the public ahead of the championship. And Liam Cahill is now privately pleased that he has the Tipperary players where he wants them. Indeed. Will they also tell us that Derry and Dublin didn’t want to win last Sunday’s football final?

If John Kiely was happy to be out of the league, then he put on some act in the after-match interview. And the Oscar goes to …. Never before have I heard such a scathing critique of his players by an obviously angry manager.

I suspect it was the nature of the defeat to Kilkenny that stung most. This was as untypical of Limerick as you could possibly imagine. The features of play that they have so carefully fostered, such as workrate, support play, precision passing, shooting economy, were all way below requirements.

Most of all there was an uncharacteristic surrender by Limerick in the last quarter. After leading 1-2 to nil early on, their final total was just 1-15 in an eight-point put-down. That would have greatly displeased the manager.

Whether or not it was a temporary blip and normal service will resume in the championship, remains to be seen. You’d certainly expect a backlash from a full strength, refocused Limerick when the ball is tossed in at Cusack Park on April 21. If that doesn’t happen then people will be referencing this league semi-final exit as a more significant event than many thought.

All great teams eventually fail; the only issue is the timing. Limerick have had an incredible innings since Mrs Kiely’s son arrived. However, the drive-for-five is the ultimate target, the ultimate grab at history. That quest will be fascinating, with its fulfilment not as assured as some may think.

For Tipperary the prognosis is quite challenging after the league evidence. Our semi-final exit to Clare was traumatic because it highlighted multiple shortcomings in the team. These shouldn’t have been a major surprise because the indicators were there in earlier rounds. We were barely adequate against a poor Dublin outfit in the opener and notably uninspiring against second-tier opponents like Westmeath and Antrim.

The Galway win was the best of it where a strong finish overshadowed an earlier surrender of the lead. Again, in the Limerick game, the goals disguised our inadequacy in general play.

A shortage of emerging talent is at the crux of Tipperary’s difficulties. Liam Cahill and his management team cast a wide net in search of players over the winter months. Yet, I suspect, the biggest lesson he learned is that club fare can be deceptive. Players that excel locally often don’t have that extra gear for elite level.

Ultimately a manager is left trawling the ranks of county underage teams for lads with potential. Liam Cahill has an advantage in this regard in that he led All-Ireland wins at minor (2016), Under 21 (2018) and Under 20 (2019) levels. The players from those teams are now typically in their mid-twenties, their prime years. Yet how many have stepped up to senior level?

Arguably, Jake Morris is the only one to conclusively make the top grade. For any team selection he’s a shoo-in. Others are pushing their claims but have yet to fully convince and achieve a permanent role in the team. And for some, time is running short.

The championship ahead will be an acid test for many of these players. With five weeks separating our league exit and a visit to the Gaelic Grounds on April 28, there’s ample time to prepare an all-out assault in the Munster round-robin series. But it won’t be easy. Currently, Waterford is the only Munster side rated lower than Tipperary in the betting odds.

The medium to longer term view of Tipperary hurling will look to the Under 20 grade for signs of hope. Brendan Cummins’ side open their campaign with a trip to the Gaelic Grounds on April 12. The following week Dungarvan is the venue for their game with Waterford and then there are home fixtures against Cork and Clare.

Initial soundings regarding this group are not positive. There have been a number of heavy defeats in challenge games, but ultimately it will be the championship fixtures that will colour perceptions.

Last year we had mixed fortunes in this grade, with heavy defeats to Cork in a group round and a semi-final let-down to Clare being the most disappointing outcomes. Cork are the reigning champions having won three of the past four titles; as minors three years ago, they also took national honours.

I sense that expectations are not high for this group, but is that justified? Our minor winners of 2022 should come of age as Under 20s in 2025, though that natural progression doesn’t always happen. I note that 14 of that successful minor side of ’22 are on the Under 20 panel this year, so we will at least expect evidence of progress, even if outright success is not achieved.

In the meantime, we’ll watch as neutrals on Saturday as Clare and Kilkenny come to the Stadium for a very promising league final. The bookies have the odds set at evens, which perhaps reflects elements of the unknown about the pairing and the game. There are some injuries and uncertainties around both teams but I can’t see either side not going full pelt for this title.

Clare have a mere four wins in the league, which is paltry for a county of its hurling tradition. During the Loughnane years of the nineties they never seemed too bothered about this competition. Maybe that reflected the manager’s own perception after a playing career which brought successive league titles in 1977/78 but without championship breakthrough. Cork were the bogey men both years in Munster.

Kilkenny with 19 titles are much more accustomed to league wins. Victory on Saturday will see them ahead of Tipperary on the roll of honour. Their last win was in 2021 when the title was shared with Galway without a final play-off.

Significantly, both finalists have come from the more competitive Group A of the league. When the teams met at Cusack Park back in March, the Banner enjoyed a three-point edge, though that will have little relevance to Saturday.

Clare’s league progress was achieved without a significant cluster of players, notably Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell, Ryan Taylor and David McInerney. It will be interesting to see if some, or any, of these reappear on Saturday, which will be just a fortnight ahead of their championship opener with Limerick.

Kilkenny were without Mikey Butler and Mikey Carey in their semi-final defeat of Limerick. Interestingly they have an easier introduction to the Leinster championship with a home game against Antrim on April 21, which perhaps gives them more leeway to go full throttle for this title.

I expect it to be a good one featuring the two teams that showed best form in the league series. The bookies rating of an evens contest seems about right. Kilkenny’s sharp form in the league semi-final might just give them the edge here.