A long way from Clare to Us; but now it’s full focus on the Championship and Who will play Where
By Noel Dundon (Tipperary Media)
Clare pose more Conundrums for Cahill and Co.
The further it goes on, the more you learn. That could certainly be said about the Allianz National Hurling League experience from a Tipperary perspective, culminating with last Sunday’s timid defeat at the hands of Clare in the penultimate game.
When you drill right down into the Premier showing in this semi-final, you have to draw some conclusions – read on for those. But, I would be inclined to dismiss the nineteen wides as being merely an off-day in front of goals – especially the ten frees which were missed and the fact that four different free takers had to be deployed. Curiously, most Tipperary supporters would probably have felt that free taking accuracy was not a problem with the current squad – Jason Forde and Gearoid O’Connor are the natural front runners when it comes to placed balls, but John McGrath, Sean Ryan, Ronan Maher and Willie Connors are also proven dead ball experts with club and county.
So, an off day on the frees front – conditions might have contributed to the erratic shooting too, though Clare had only one free outside the posts.
What is perhaps a little more worrying about the wides is the fact that some were taken from efforts which simply should not have been tried in the first place. Shot selection is a big part of the modern game and on Sunday, it was not where it needs to be. No doubt this will be addressed in the coming weeks.
Another issue which needs addressing is nailing down positions. Before Sunday, most Premier supporters would probably have named 10/12 of the starting fifteen for the championship opener against Limerick – but where they will play was not as clear cut.
After Sunday’s game there are perhaps less than the 10/12 positions secure and there are players whose outings in O’Moore Park suggest that they are struggling to get to the pace of the game as the championship approaches.
I would be particularly concerned about the half back line – already this season were have seen in the region of ten players occupy the three positions across the line, but who will be there comes TÚS Pairc na nGael? Sunday suggests that there is need for more thinking – Clare ran through the centre with unsettling ease and there was little resistance to their escapades into dangerous territory.
Undoubtedly, Ronan Maher is the best option for Tipperary at centre back. His distribution of the ball in that ‘quarter back’ position is second to none and he has a commanding presence which is missed greatly when he is deployed at the edge of the square. But, if he is at centre back, who goes to number 3? Again, quite a few players have featured in that position during the course of the league, but the Tipperary captain appears to be the preferred choice there.
Are we robbing Peter to pay Paul? And, what is the solution to the conundrum?
Midfield has also witnessed a multiplicity of combinations throughout the league campaign and what is quite evident is that Tipperary are seeking to have worker bees in and around the midfield and half-forward sectors. So, we are seeing the likes of Willie Connors, Alan Tynan, Conor Stakelum, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen, Seamus Kennedy, Paddy Cadell and Cathal Quinn all starting in the 8 and 9 jerseys, while some of these have also featured in the half forward line alongside Gearoid O’Connor, John McGrath, Jason Forde, Patrick Maher, Darragh Stakelum, Sean Hayes, Mark Kehoe and Sean Kenneally. Again, who the favoured trio in this line will be is unclear at this stage of the season.
While supporters and those outside the camp will continue to play a guessing game over the next month or so, Liam Cahill and his selectors will have a much clearer interpretation after last Sunday. They have watched the character of the squad develop over the course of a very rigorous training programme and their views on different players in different pressured scenarios will have been well formed and well informed.
So, we’ll just have to wait and see who will emerge to claim the free positions – goalkeeper also remains a toss up between Barry Hogan and Rhys Shelly with barely a blade of grass between them.
Losing to Clare in the manner which unfolded was not what Tipperary wanted. But, on the positive side of things, it’s now full focus on the championship. Management can undertake a deep-dive assessment of the defeat and accordingly tailor their run through Munster.
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