Knockout element will add even greater edge to the exchanges between Tipperary and Cork

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Tipperary versus Cork is probably the most enduring rivalry in the history of hurling. The balance of power has alternated over the decades but the rivalry never fails to excite. This Sunday will be no exception.

Cork come to town in optimistic mood following their rousing late strike against Limerick last weekend. A season that was on life support has suddenly found resuscitation through their most significant win of recent times. Will it be the key to unlocking their potential?

I’ve previously compared Cork’s situation at present to Tipperary’s in the mid-eighties. Like us back then they’ve endured the famine years but recent underage success has offered renewed hope. However, the transition from underage to senior has proven torturous.

Sometimes all it takes is one significant game to spark the revival. Our trigger moment was Killarney in 1987. Will Cork’s be that win over Limerick? Time will tell.

For the moment we have to brace ourselves for what The Rebels bring to town on Sunday. When I posed that question to a friend at the weekend he answered: “25,000 of support for a start”. Indeed. The Rebels will flood the town, sensing a new stirring in their fortunes. Our mission will be to disappoint them.

Like Cork, Tipperary approach this game in upbeat form following their display against Waterford. In fact, the similarities are very significant. Both came off poor displays in previous games but each managed to produce a stirring performance against the odds. Furthermore, both counties went into injury time in arrears but somehow orchestrated late dramatics to save the day.

For both teams this is a knockout game. A loss for Cork will definitely end their season and, realistically, Tipperary need to win both their remaining matches in order to escape Munster. That imperative should add even more edge to the exchanges.

Encouragingly, Tipperary have no injury concerns ahead of the game. Barry Heffernan is back to full fitness and offers an obvious option in defence if needed. Dan McCormack might press for a starting place also, though it’s expected that changes, if any, will be minimal.

Conor Stakelum is likewise at full fitness so the management will have a few issues to mull over. There’s obvious concern about Jason Forde’s dip in form, both from general play and in free-taking. Since returning from injury his confidence appears to have taken a hit and, of course, confidence is everything for a free-taker.

Jason has been a fantastic player over the years and the hope is that he can work through his present difficulties. We certainly need him.

It will be interesting to see how Cork follow up on their Limerick win. There was a huge collective investment in that game, both physically and emotionally, and their task this week will be to come down from that high and re-engage for another mighty shift on Sunday.

In a sense, it will be likewise with Tipperary. The positivity from the Waterford game will quickly vanish if we relapse into old habits. The fortnight break should be of benefit in that regard.

At their best Cork are fast-moving and fast-shooting. Their pace will be a concern in advance because they’re well equipped with speedsters who can open up a defence if given the scope. The secret surely is to get at them at source and try to prevent the sort of open game that facilitates their runners. Easier said than done.

At the other end they’ve had a tendency this year to spill a lot of scores. In their three games to date Cork have conceded eight goals and 77 points. That’s a big average to give up, almost 3-26 per game.

Against that they scored a grand total of 7-77 in the same three matches. It’s high scoring at both ends so keeping matters more compressed would surely help Tipperary. A shootout will not be in our interest.

Our record against Cork over the years is fascinating. The counties have played 89 championship games (more than any other pairing), with Tipperary marginally ahead on 39 wins and Cork on 38. There were nine draws (including last year) and three matches unfinished.

We’ll hope for a big performance from Tipperary. The attitude shown against Waterford is the template to be followed. If that’s replicated there’s always a chance.

Elsewhere, our underage teams have both reached Munster finals following the conclusion of the respective provincial round robins. Coincidentally, Clare were the only side to have our measure in both grades. We have a rematch with The Banner in the minor final this Monday night at the TUS Gaelic Grounds; the Under 20s await the winners of a Cork/Clare semi-final, with that decider billed for Friday week, May 24.

The Under 20s came up a point short last week in their round robin game with Clare. We slipped behind in the first half to corner forward, Conor Whelan, who put on quite a show for the Banner. By half time he had his name on 10 of their 11 points, with five coming from open play. Our defence simply couldn’t handle his skill and movement.

By full time Whelan had accounted for 16 of their 18-point total, including the winning free, which was very softly awarded by an official who missed many other fouls during the hour.

It was disappointing to lose but we had our chances to stay unbeaten. Senan Butler had a great goal chance late in the match but it goes down as a fine save by The Banner goalie rather than a miss by the forward who did everything right. Earlier, Oisin O’Donoghue finished the only goal of the game.

I guess with one player scoring all bar two points of the Clare total, the Tipp team knows what’s ahead if Clare beat favourites Cork in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, the minors completed their round robin programme with a one-point win over pointless Limerick. It was just about enough to put them through to a final meeting with Clare, the only side to beat them in the series. On that occasion the concession of four goals was critical, so sealing up that defence ahead of the final will be a major priority.

It’s great to be in both finals but the serious business now begins. Good luck to all involved.

Finally, the GAA and its partnership with RTE in the GAAGO initiative is under fire and the President, Jarlath Burns, is on the defensive. High profile politicians have waded into the controversy, including our Taoiseach and Tánaiste, which certainly ramps up the heat on Croke Park.

Listening to Jarlath Burns on Monday morning radio I was amazed that he dwelt on the money-making aspect of GAAGO. That really added salt to the wounds of many who feel offended by this service. Money-making is being put ahead of the interests of grassroots fans who can’t avail of this service, not to mention the oxygen of publicity that is being denied to a game like hurling. It feeds into this (unfair) narrative about the Grab-All-Association; the president should have had more savvy.

Because it’s a streaming service it’s dependent upon internet quality and that immediately rules out many people, especially in rural areas. Then we get this guff about GAAGO covering so many games that would not otherwise be covered. The problem is that most of the games covered are matches people don’t want to watch, so they cherry-pick the best ones to keep them behind a pay-wall.

Hurling is a big loser in all of this.

‘Babs’ is right: we need a separate organisation.