Big response needed from Tipperary for crunch clash against Clare

There’s a hectic week ahead for Tipperary hurling, one which could define the remainder of our season. The Under 20s kicked it all off on Wednesday with a Munster final against Clare; the minors similarly faced a Munster decider on Friday against Limerick; and then, the big one is on Saturday when Clare come to town for Le Crunch.

I could fill the entire column with the ifs, buts and maybes of senior permutations but above all else one conclusion is inescapable: lose to the Banner and our hopes of advancing are over. So, this is it.

Our historic championship record against Clare is strong. We’ve met on 59 previous occasions with Tipperary winning 40, losing 15 and drawing 4. But how about this for a worrying recent trend: Clare won on each of their last three visits to Semple Stadium while Tipperary won on their last three trips to Cusack Park.

So much for home comforts.

We’ll hope, of course, that Saturday bucks that trend. The bookies think it will and have given Tipperary the nod at odds of 4/6; Clare are listed at 7/5. Clare’s heavy defeat to Limerick the last day probably weighs heavily in that estimation but it may not be the best basis for assessment.

That game in Ennis featured a high-flying Limerick against a very limp Banner. It was one of those days when Limerick looked irresistible and Clare looked … well … very resistible. Neither impression was entirely accurate, so perhaps Limerick are not quite as good as they looked in Ennis and Clare are definitely not as weak as they appeared. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

On known ability Clare have a forward line of acknowledged quality. Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly are central to it. If that talismanic pair clicks then most oppositions will struggle. Add in Peter Duggan, Mark Rodgers et al and you have quite a potent strike force.

Facing them will be a Tipperary defence that has still to regain the swagger of 2025. The match-ups will be important. We got them right last year - with Ronan Maher on Duggan and Robert Doyle on Kelly, for example - but we need a repeat showing now.

More encouragingly, perhaps, Clare’s defence has had its difficulties this year. In their two games already, they’ve conceded 6-51, which is serious leakage. There are hopes there, surely, that Tipperary’s attack might profit against a zone that looked well off the pace against Limerick.

Tipperary fans will be hoping for improved form from the team. Key players on the side have not been playing to last year’s standard and this is a last chance to get it right. Remember a Clare win here will see them qualify from Munster because on four points neither Tipperary nor Waterford can catch them with just one round to play. So, the game is season-defining for Clare also.

It’s a big game and will require a big response. A more sustained effort than shown against Waterford will be needed. Let’s hope we get it.