Premier snares the Rebels
By Noel Dundon
In the PRE-VIEW All-Ireland Special on Saturday, this column warned that Cork might stumble into the same snare that trapped Kilkenny in the 2010 All-Ireland Final against Tipperary — that the swirling hype and deafening hyperbole could cloud their focus, unsettle their minds, and shatter their dreams of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
It did — and their collapse was nothing short of spectacular.
Who could have foreseen such a Rebel annihilation in that second half? Who could even have dreamt that Cork would muster just two paltry scores over the entire 35 minutes?
What is it about the Premier in All-Ireland finals? A fifteen-point demolition of Cork this year; a fourteen-point rout in 2019; nine points clear in 2016, and eight in 2010 — the last three all against Kilkenny. These are not mere numbers; they are emphatic statements, and what’s remarkable is that Tipperary were underdogs in all of those triumphs.
So how did the pundits get it so hopelessly wrong? Nobody outside of the premier county gave Liam Cahill’s men even a whisper of a chance. Did they not see how battle-hardened this group had become as the summer wore on? Did they ignore the mountain of obstacles they’d conquered just to reach the summit? Did they dismiss the staggering tally of 15 goals and 176 points amassed on the road to the final — averaging 2-26 per game? Fittingly, they ended the season with that same majestic average after sweeping up the All-Ireland spoils.
Of course, now everyone claims to understand how Tipp did it — hindsight, as ever, is perfect.
The anatomy of this victory was crafted in that all-important middle third, where Tipp ruthlessly shut down Cork’s couriers, strangled their supply lines, and left their predators starved of ball. Their match-ups were spot on too — a masterstroke from Liam Cahill and his astute backroom team. Clearly, they had learned from the bruising lessons at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and recalibrated their approach. Cork tried to recreate the same script — but the Premier tore it up.
The sight of Willie Connors shadowing Declan Dalton spoke volumes: Not again. Not today. Ye will not carve through us like before.
Heroes revealed themselves in many guises, but none shone brighter than the towering figure at the heart of Tipp’s defence, Ronan Maher. A true leader and inspirational captain, he stepped into an elite pantheon — matching his brother Padraic’s three Celtic Crosses and becoming the first Thurles Sarsfields man since the legendary Jimmy Doyle, 61 years ago, to hoist the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
And what of the masters McGrath? John’s rejuvenation and renaissance were central to Tipp’s 29th title — an extraordinary 7-16 from play across the season. Meanwhile, Noel added yet another chapter to his glittering career, collecting a fourth senior medal spanning three decades. Rhys Shelly sparkled in the final — saving a penalty, scoring a point, and becoming the first Moycarkey-Borris man since John Flanagan in 1971 to win an All-Ireland. Eoghan Connolly’s stellar season yielded 14 points from full-back; Michael Breen was immense; and Robert Doyle, the revelation of the year, was superb. Craig Morgan and Bryan O’Mara’s contributions were colossal, while the relentless energy of Willie Connors and Conor Stakelum was immense.
Jake Morris — last nights Sunday Game Player of the Year and surely a contender for the GPA Player of the Year — led the attack with class and fire, ably supported by the industrious Andrew Ormond and Sam O’Farrell. Darragh McCarthy saved his most dazzling display for the biggest stage — a proud day for the young Toomevara cub who’s endured much this year. Then there was Jason Forde — whose brilliance against Kilkenny propelled Tipp to the final, and whose season haul of 3-46 speaks for itself. The bench proved just as vital — Noel McGrath again, but also Oisín O’Donoghue, Séamus Kennedy, Alan Tynan and Darragh Stakelum, all adding crucial impact when called upon.
And finally, Liam Cahill, Michael Bevans, TJ Ryan, Declan Laffan and the entire backroom team — take your richly deserved bow. Cahill now carves his name in history as the first man to win All-Ireland titles at minor, U20, U21 and senior level – but he couldn’t have done it without ye.