Tipperary hurlers must pick up the pieces against Clare in their final game of the year

Further evidence, if it was needed, that Tipperary hurling isn’t in the best of places right now was delivered by the spadeload in Thurles last Sunday.

If their supporters thought that their team had plumbed the depths when losing by 12 points to Cork at FBD Semple Stadium two years ago and by 15 points to Limerick in this year’s campaign, they witnessed a new nadir last weekend, as their team’s second half capitulation resulted in an 18-points defeat.

The statistics make grim reading, as Tipp bowed out of the championship with little more than a whimper. This was Tipperary’s heaviest loss to Cork since 1898. The county has failed to progress to the All-Ireland championship for the second time in three seasons and hasn’t won a home match in the championship since 2019, the year of their last All-Ireland success; the next one looks some distance away.

Tipperary have won just one of their last eleven championship games in the province, a run that includes three draws and seven defeats.

They have won just two of their last thirteen games in the Munster and All-Ireland championships, those wins coming against Clare and Offaly last year.

It was a performance of two halves last Sunday. It all started so well for Tipperary, Mark Kehoe finding the net after just 17 seconds when he seized upon the rebound after a shot from Conor Bowe, who had been sent scampering clear by a peach of a pass from Noel McGrath, was parried by Cork goalie Patrick Collins.

Cork grew into the game in a first half during which the teams were level eight times. After a half an hour an excellent point from Jake Morris, when he collected Barry Hogan’s puckout on the run and sent a shot between the posts, meant that Tipp were two points ahead.

However, Cork drew level with points from Seamus Harnedy and Patrick Horgan and Tipp were dealt a sucker punch on the stroke of half-time when Alan Connolly slalomed his way past Eoghan Connolly and Michael Breen before firing the first of his hat-trick of goals.

Tipp received an even more sickening blow to the solar plexus five minutes into the second half when Connolly struck for his second goal to open a six-point lead.

With a half an hour still to play, the result was clearly signposted from that juncture.

If Tipperary hoped that their exertions of the previous week against Limerick might have taken their toll on Cork in the warm sunshine, they had another thing coming.

The Rebels, much to the delight of their supporters, who formed the vast majority of the attendance of 43,972, more or less did as they pleased for the remainder of the game, with Tipperary scoring just seven points in the closing 34 minutes, including added time, a period that included 14 minutes without a score.

Cork’s structured approach and slick pattern of passing and movement was in stark contrast to Tipperary’s much more rudimentary approach, which often relied on long, hopeful balls.

With the stands and terraces a sea of red, it was like a home game for Cork.

On The Sunday Game, Donal Óg Cusack asked if the fight has gone out of Tipperary and their supporters. The poor Tipp support was probably indicative of their followers’ lack of faith in the team.

The reality is that all teams love playing in Thurles, especially those like Cork, who have pace to burn, as they exploited the wide open prairies of Semple Stadium.

The venue should be a fortress for Tipperary teams, but it clearly isn’t. The team were denied the chance to conduct their final training session there on Friday night. Instead they were put through their paces at nearby Dr Morris Park, with Semple Stadium out of bounds ahead of Saturday’s Tailteann Cup football game between Tipperary and Sligo.

Manager Liam Cahill and his team are now left to pick up the pieces ahead of their final round robin game against Clare in Thurles this Sunday, which starts at 4pm, and when they will be only playing for pride at the conclusion of another disappointing campaign.

This final match of the year for the county's senior hurlers will be shown live on the RTÉ News channel, as well as the RTÉ Player.