The View: Tipperary teams welcome return to finding the net

It's amazing what a difference a week can make in sport.

Last weekend, we were lamenting the fact that no Tipperary team was able to find the back of the net in the hurling, football, camogie and ladies football national league games. But, with the passing of the week, all four teams managed to occupy the green flag umpires with three of those teams emerging successful in their games, while the ladies footballers fell at the first hurdle against a very strong Cork side.

Goals are always key to success because not only do they give you three points, but they illustrate a teams ability to break down the opposition defence and hit them where it really hurts. And, the three victorious sides bagged goals on Saturday to win their games, while the ladies footballers also got two on Friday evening, but came up short in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

That outing in Cork was the first we saw of the ladies footballers this season and they started the game very well. By half time, they seemed to be in a good position, but it all went horribly wrong in the second half as Cork took over and dominated. The difference in strength and fitness was quite obvious - this seasoned Cork side has been on an S&C programme for a number of seasons, whereas Tipp are playing catch-up due to the fact that there are quite a few younger players in the set-up.

Tipp should not be disheartened by the result though and should, instead, take much consolation from their very positive first half. Sure, there is work to be done, but that's one element of the game that Manager Declan Carr was never shy about engaging in. Tipperary will tackle Waterford next weekend in Clonmel and will be looking for a win in that game.
Waterford were also the opponents for the camogie ladies on Saturday and the victory will give a much needed confidence boost to Bill Mullaney's charges. They hit Waterford early on and maintained the momentum throughout the game, to account for a very positive victory indeed - coming after the defeat to Cork a week earlier, this win showed Tipperary's character and will be a major fillip to the side going forward.

Speaking of going forward, the footballers head off to Tullamore on Saturday afternoon next in search of a second win in the league after they held out to win against a game Wicklow outift in Semple Stadium on Saturday. This was an important victory, coming off the back of the defeat to Limerick in the opening round. And, if Tipperary wish to maintain designs on promotion, they simply had to win this clash with Wicklow. Indeed, there is no room for any further losses and Offaly will pose a very significant challenge in Tullamore.

Tipperary have been rocked this week by the loss of two warriors in the form of Robbie Kiely for the footballers and Patrick 'Bonnar' Maher for the hurlers. Both have been key members of their respective squads for a long time and their influence in the dressingroom will be very sorely missed.

Kiely, with those attacks from defence, was a very important player for David Power, but others will now have to take on the mantle and try to fill the void left by the Tipperary town native.
Similarly, Patrick Maher has been a very big influence for the Tipperary hurlers and it was interesting to hear Liam Sheedy speak to emotionally about him after the victory over Galway - living on the border with the Tribemen, this win would really have meant something to Bonnar.

Sheedy was delighted with the win over Galway and while he was very happy that his men found the net twice and could have had a few more but for the final pass breaking down, he had a bit to say about the number of wides hit as well.
The key thing though is that Tipperary are creating opportunities and the finesse will come with more ball playing in training and match situations. The hurlers have a weekend off now before their clash with Westmeath in Mullingar. Then, their final game will be against Liam Cahill's Waterford in a game which could decide a league final spot.

Tipperary are in a good position now - unbeaten after three games and improving with every outing. However, are there new players holding their hands up to stake a claim in the team? Hard to say. Robert Byrne did well at half back in the last outing; Paddy Cadell started well, but faded; Bryan O'Meara and was very solid against Limerick, but is ruled out through injury for another few weeks; the Flynn's, Jake Morris and Willie Connors have had their moments. Dillon Quirke has had a lot of game time, but has not set the scene alight; while Alan Tynan has yet to make an appearance, and Billy McCarthy will not be available for a few more weeks. Cian Darcy and Mark Kehoe have appeared occasionally also without making huge impressions. Brian McGrath has been the pick of the bunch, one would think.

One hears that JK Brackens, Andrew Ormonde is hurling very well in trinaing - a member of the extended training panel, could he force his way into the match day squad? Eoghan Connolly of u20 starring fame has yet to get a look in either. It has to be said though, that the Tipp backroom team have managed the players well so far with rotation being the order of the day - a vital component of this current campaign considering the proximity of league to championship and the week-on-week nature of it all.

All round, the hurling was much better last weekend than the weekend before -perhaps the crisis in the game is not quite as deep as we first thought.

Rud Eile
Word that the DRA has sent back to County Board, the Browne/Ryan transfer requests from Knockavilla Kickhams to Cashel King Cormacks has left a little unease around the county- they are to be reconsidered and if they get the go ahead, where does it leave the parish rule, one wonders?