Champs Tipperary given torrid time by the Dubs

Date Published: {J}

THERE’S no doubt about it anymore – Dublin are here to stay as a major hurling power. It wasn’t just the seniors’ noble effort against All-Ireland champions Tipperary at Croke Park last Sunday which underlined that development, but also the impressive showing of the county’s minors who had their Waterford opponents ripped to pieces by half-time in the first of the day’s All-Ireland semi-finals.

Leading by 17 points at the interval, the rising stars of Dublin hurling had made short work of the Munster finalists in the opening-half with their physicality, athleticism and skill turning the match into a one-sided contest. The young Dubs finished up with 6-19 to their credit and with the county U-21s virtually guaranteed – they play Antrim on Saturday evening – to reach to reach an All-Ireland final as well, Dublin has clearly an abundance of quality talent coming through.

Mind you, the fact that the Dublin defence conceded 5-13 to a gallant Waterford outfit last Sunday means that their minors are far from the complete package. Next month’s final opponents Galway will also strand up to them a lot more physically in what has all the potential to be a classic showdown. It will be the first time that Dublin will have appeared in a minor decider since they lost to the Westerners in 1983 – a day when Galway lifted the Irish Press Cup for the first time ever.

The senior semi-final saw Tipperary survive an almighty scare from Anthony Daly’s men. Set up defensively, with midfielder John McCaffrey operating as a sweeper across the half-back line, Dublin rattled the somewhat below par champions with a high intensity performance which was characterised by some excellent point taking in the opening-half after getting off to the worst possible start.

Just two minutes were on the clock when emergency full back Peter Kelly, who went on to produce a powerful second-half, misjudged a delivery from Shane McGrath, allowing goal machine Lar Corbett to just nip the sliotar to the net in a tussle with opposition goalkeeper Gary Maguire. It was the last thing Dublin needed, but it didn’t rattle them as they went on to dominate large tracts of the opening-half.

By the 19th minute, they had deservedly surged into a 0-9 to 1-3 lead. Alan McCrabbe, Dotsy O’Callaghan, Liam Rushe, Paul Ryan, excellent centre back Joey Boland, and Liam Ryan all picked off some wonderful points while, at the other end of the field, the Tipperary attack were being denied the time and space they have become accustomed to. Still, Corbett was doing damage and by the interval, he had picked off a priceless 1-3 and though Maguire did well to deny Seamus Callanan a goal chance, Tipperary must have been somewhat relieved to have retired level, 1-8 to 0-11, at half time.

Ultimately, however, it was the title holders’ positive start to the second-half which proved critical in the end. Three unanswered points from a previously subdued Noel McGrath and Eoin Kelly (two placed balls) ensured Dublin were playing catch up for the reminder of the half. They did manage to equalise on a couple of occasions, but Tipperary always seemed to be able to respond at the other end.

Eoin Kelly may have been struggling in open play, but his accuracy from the placed ball – he pointed three 65’s in the second-half – was exemplary, while McGrath continued to be a growing influence.

Furthermore, wing back Padraig Maher stormed up the field to pick off two rousing points as Dublin tired a little – no surprise really given the manner in which their players admirably emptied themselves on the battlefield. Another key factor in Tipperary’s hard fought victory was the commanding presence of Conor O’Mahony at centre back in the second-half.

There were probably times du

ring the game when Tipperary manager Declan Ryan thought his team were in big trouble, but in terms of the build up to next month’s All-Ireland final, he got what he was looking for – the removal of some of the hype and a reality check for even a few of their more raucous supporters. Like Kilkenny in their semi-final victory, Tipperary got the job done but didn’t exactly set the world on fire.

Though the Dublin camp will be gutted this week, it’s been some year for them. Winners of the Walsh Cup and National League, together with championship victories over Offaly, Galway and Limerick, they have made giant leaps forwards in 2011 and such is the levels of single-mindedness in the squad they will be determined to make further progress next year. And all of this against a background of a team riddled by injuries to several influential players.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.