Westside - Another encouraging display from Tipperary but bigger tests lie ahead

 Two out of two - and a healthy score balance to boot - sees Tipperary perfectly placed at the halfway stage of the Munster series. Another slick performance, albeit with a few wobbly bits thrown in, was enough to steamroll Waterford by the end and set up the Premier for the more testing days that lie ahead. 

Going into the championship we could hardly have anticipated this scenario. Two games in and our stock has suddenly soared. Already Tipperary have leapfrogged to the top of the betting charts for the All-Ireland; we are now listed as 11/4 favourites by at least one betting house.  ‘Bubbles’ is 12/1 for hurler of the year, second only to T.J. Reid; Jason Forde is listed at 14/1 and Seamie Callanan at 16/1. Three Tipperary forwards feature among the top six fancied individuals.

It’s manic, a sort of frenzied reaction to two days of hurling. I suppose it’s part of the modern liking for exaggeration, where everything is judged on the moment. Longer term, measured assessments tend to bore us. Thus Tipperary’s profile has rocketed in a matter of eight days.

Coming off a patchy and downright poor league campaign, the team certainly looks revitalised at the moment. Within seconds of the throw-in last Sunday Jason Forde shot out ahead of Noel Connors and in one sweeping movement snatched possession and posted an instant point. For Jason it was a personal statement of intent after the disappointment of being substituted in Cork. It was also a team statement, announcing a continuation of the sharp form of a week earlier.

Tipperary were in the mood – again. ‘Bubbles’, Breen and John McGrath soon pitched in with polished points in another display of economy and precision.  With the half backs and midfield again orchestrating matters the attack was being fed angled supply, which had the Waterford defence scrambling at containment.

Tipp’s first wide came after 19 minutes, by which stage we had ten points on the board against Waterford’s five. By the time Conor Gleeson was red-carded on 29 minutes it was 13-6 in Tipp’s favour. It had been a storming half hour by the home side.

The dismissal has brought criticism of the referee for what appeared to be an undeserved first yellow card. The critics might have looked at the bigger picture, where there was ongoing niggling and the players concerned had already been warned. I think it’s reasonable for a referee to issue yellow cards if he’s already warned players and the aggravation continues.

I’d be much more critical of the lopsided free count (18-5 by my reckoning, though I noticed one daily paper give slightly different figures). The failure to penalise players over-carrying when surrounded, and indeed the failure to allow advantage in that crucial incident where ‘Bonner’ was rugby tackled were other issues.

Anyway, as often happens, the sending off did more for the depleted side than the one with the advantage. Waterford’s response was to hit the last three points of the first half and retire just six adrift. It might have been even worse for Tipp if Patrick Curran’s effort had found the net instead of rebounding off the base of the post.

At half time then there was much to admire about the Tipp effort thus far. The Curran escape aside, the defence was pretty secure. Alan Flynn, on his promotion in place of Sean O’Brien, had settled in well and Paudie Maher was the dominant personality, sweeping up an amount of ball.

Our midfield was on top: Noel McGrath was pulling strings as usual, reading and reacting in that perceptive way of his; Breen had already three points lodged to his account.

The attack was moving with menace. Forde was much more prominent than at Cork; ‘Bubbles’ was again the supreme marksman; John McGrath was on three points; ‘Bonner’ was hustling as usual. Against that Dan McCormack was a bit subdued and Seamie Callanan hadn’t scored, though he was still putting in a strong shift, typified by that great effort to baulk Stephen O’Keeffe and force the line ball which Ronan Maher converted. Forde had landed an earlier one from the opposite side.

We had dipped a tad after the sending off so it was hoped that normal service would resume on the restart. It didn’t. Instead it was Waterford who found momentum with a renewed zest that would eventually cut the lead to a worrying three points.

Brendan Maher didn’t reappear for the second half. He’d taken a knock and was slightly dazed so Barry Heffernan took over at half back.

There’s no denying the third quarter was a worrying spell. A combination of Tipp sloppiness and a surge in the Waterford effort reopened a contest that we thought was heading heavily our way. Over-elaborate passing sequences took us into trouble and the precision of the first half was less evident now. Waterford took advantage and suddenly this game was far from decided.

Eventually the match turned conclusively on the first goal. Noel McGrath had regained a four- point advantage when the forwards strung together a defence-splitting move. ‘Bonner’ initiated it all with a lovely overhead touch, bringing the ball down to hand before laying off to Callanan. Seamie might have opted for the safe point but instead saw possibilities. He passed to ‘Bubbles’ who then flicked on to Forde who supplied the rasping finish to the net. 

A Waterford fan might rightly criticise the poor marking but it was the movement of the Tipp forwards which created that looseness and gave the team the overlap.

Thereafter the game tailed off to a one-sided finish. Michael Breen continued his power play at midfield, Barry Heffernan grew into the game at half back, Barrett was excellent in the corner and the forwards reeled off the scores with nonchalant ease. Waterford’s effort collapsed.

By now it was time for the management to turn to the substitute bench and use up the allowed quota. Robert Byrne was already in for Dan McCormack at half forward in what was a very odd decision, given his half back credentials. Willie Connors replaced Noel McGrath, Jake Morris was in for ‘Bubbles’ and Ger Browne relieved ‘Bonner’. Unlike the Cork experience the subs impacted this time, which has to be an encouragement.

The lead stretched out to a worrying extent for Waterford, Callanan’s goal the cherry on the icing after being set up by Forde. A few half-chances at the town end were snuffed out and the end margin was a whopping 18  points. Tipperary were ruthless in that final quarter, which will have pleased the management who’ll be keen to remove any perceived soft centre to our game.

So, for a second week the credits rolled for Tipperary. Hogan in goal had the satisfaction of a clean slate; his puck-outs mostly found their target, though those short ones at times of pressure had us squirming. The defence in general was assured – Barrett was exceptional. Alan Flynn enhanced his prospects, as did Barry Heffernan on his introduction. Paudie continues to get through a mountain of work.

The midfield was class - McGrath as the ringmaster, Breen as the top act. Forde, ‘Bubbles’, John McGrath and ‘Bonner’ led the attack and I don’t agree that Callanan had a poor outing. His work rate was immense, his role in several scores noteworthy, and he remains a key part of the attacking infrastructure. Niall O’Meara was togged and available on Sunday but in the event wasn’t needed.

For Waterford it’s worrying times. Austin Gleeson remains a mercurial talent, too often isolated in games. I don’t agree that their fate hung on the sending off; they were in trouble before that red card and the loss actually gave them an energy surge before it all fell apart.

On The Sunday Game Brendan Cummins expressed disappointment at Waterford’s last quarter surrender (my word). Derek McGrath understandably wasn’t going to agree on such criticism of his own. I don’t always concur with Cummins but in this instance I think he read it right. The Deise fade-out was worrying for Padraic Fanning and company, who look odds on now to miss the cut for a second season in Munster.

For Tipperary the outlook is much brighter, though I wouldn’t get sucked into the general wave of wild optimism. Thus far Sheedy and company have managed to reinvigorate the entire set-up but the two toughest assignments of the series await, with Clare in Ennis and Limerick at the Stadium.

Mathematically, if we lose those two remaining fixtures we could miss out on qualification for a second season, depending on other results of course. Limerick got through as the third team on 5 points last year so that could be a baseline requirement again this time. Anyway in the present mood it seems defeatist to be even considering losing any game so we’ll drive on with confidence. The team has a two-week break now before the Clare match and then another two weeks before Limerick come to the Stadium on June 16.

P.S. What were those umpires doing with the two Hawkeye referrals deep into injury time? In each case they were well positioned behind the post in line with the ball’s flight from well outfield and still hadn’t the confidence to make a decision. If the call was crucial to the result you might understand their nervousness but in this case it was just silly.