All Ireland Final Preview,Tipperary Minors have a chance to create history.
By Noel Dundon
Perhaps this week’s column should be labelled the Preview rather than THE VIEW, as the only show in town is the All-Ireland minor hurling final of next Saturday evening in UPMC Nowlan park, Kilkenny against the hosts.
It does indeed seem strange to be heading across the border to play ‘the Cats’ in an All-Ireland Final in their own backyard. But, what a unique opportunity it affords James Woodlocks men to deliver a bloodied nose to the Kilkenny lads – losing a decider on their own patch is something they would not countenance, but it is something they may have to cope with if Tipperary can get their game going and maintain the kind of form which has taken them all the way to the ultimate clash against perhaps our greatest rivals of the modern era.
The majority of the Tipp minors can recall only All-Ireland senior hurling finals graced by their county, against Kilkenny. There were great days and days of great disappointment in those many clashes, and now, these young men have the chance to feature in one of those great occasions themselves.
OK it is not Croke Park on the biggest stage of the GAA calendar, but it is the biggest game that most of these lads will have played in their lives, and it represents a real chance to gain invaluable experience for their hurling CV’s which will surely assist them going forward in their careers.
Of course, winning the final elevates them to another level altogether and if that is to be the result, Cathal O’Reilly will go down in history alongside names such as Jim Maher, John Kennedy, William Maher, Joey McLoughney, Brendan Maher, Bill Maher and Brian McGrath to name just a few of the successful captains.
Tipperary have been hurling very positively all season long and they need to continue the same in the final. Leaving aside all the hype that goes with the final, this is just another game and the management team will be emphasising to the players, the need to take each possession as it comes, and to approach each ball as they have done all season long.
That approach has yielded very good results so far this season and has brought the panel of players all the way to the All-Ireland final – surely they will know that one additional performance of a similar manner will bring them ultimate honours.
Right from the start of this campaign we have watched these players develop and mature into a very fine team. Individually, they are outstanding hurlers in the side, but collectively, as a team, they are very potent indeed. They have been challenged sternly, took many a bodyblow and still manage to find ways of emerging with their campaign intact.
That they were under the cosh against Galway in the semi-final and still managed to find a way to draw the game in normal time, and then win it in extra time, says a lot about the level of maturity in the side. They didn’t panic, rode out the storm and when the time was right they hit the gas and sped away to victory – albeit a victory which many suggested should have come in normal time.
So, here they are now in the final – a marvellous occasion and the setting of that dramatic snatch-and-grab against Offaly a few short years ago which annexed our last title in the grade. More of the same from these boys would help rescue a season which has seen many highs and lows and would help eradicate memories of the U20 defeat in the same venue against Leinster opposition also.
No pressure then boys – our hopes go with them as do our best wishes. Please get there and cheer them on.
Divisional Championships
Already the divisional senior hurling championships are creating a few eye opening results. Templederry blitzed Kilruane MacDonagh with Sean Ryan showing the full benefits of two years of high quality S&C with Tipperary; while county champions Kiladangan were comprehensive winners over Borrisileigh. There are plenty of games on this weekend also, so make sure to get there.
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