2015 Munster final
Sunday, March 6
Allianz Hurling League Division IA
Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium, 3pm (Deferred coverage on TG4)
There is an easy case to be made for this game being the meeting of the two form teams in the competition right now, and of two of the biggest potential challengers for more prestigious honours much further down the road.
Having met in the Allianz League semi-final (Waterford 1-19 Tipperary 2-15) and the Munster final (Tipperary 0-21 Waterford 0-16) last year, they are building up a tidy rivalry. With Tipperary clearly building a new side under Michael Ryan, there is also genuine excitement about what may lie in store in for the future, and Sunday’s encounter in Thurles may just provide us with a little sneak preview.
Given what happened to Tipperary in Nowlan Park two weeks ago – they led until the 67th minute before conceding two late goals to lose by 2-17 to 0-18 – it might seem a bit previous to talk up the Premier County in such a manner, but it would also be unfair to charge Ryan’s side with perceived psychological failings of their predecessors.
We also shouldn’t forget just how impressive Tipp were in their opening night win over Dublin (1-23 to 0-12), when they showcased a much more direct style of hurling than was used under the previous regime, with a host of newcomers shining in a quite brilliant win.
Jason Forde was the star of the show that night, striking 1-5 from play, but the Silvermines man is ruled out of Sunday’s game with an injury he picked up while on duty with UL in the gruelling Fitzgibbon Cup final defeat to Mary I. James Barry, centre-back in the first two games, is also ruled out with a foot injury.
On the plus side, Séamus Callanan, a man who looks made to thrive under the new approach, returns to competitive action for the first time this year on Sunday, having recovered from a finger injury. Kieran Bergin is also likely to return following an injury.
Waterford, the defending Allianz League champions, sit at the top of the Division IA table with two wins from two, beating Kilkenny (0-14 to 0-10) in a season-opener that showcased their tremendous spirit if not their shooting ability, before proving too strong for Cork (0-20 to 1-14) in Páirc Uí Rinn two weeks ago, even if they were made to sweat in the closing stages.
Tadhg de Búrca, who operated so effectively as a sweeper last year, missed the first two games through injury and it remains to be seen if he’ll be available to Derek McGrath for the trip to Thurles.
Waterford manager McGrath has been talking up Tipperary in the build-up to the game, arguing that Na Déise’s opponents are much further ahead in their overall development, despite the fact that Tipperary have flooded their squad with new players this year.
“If you look objectively at their two games, there’s an argument to be made for Tipp to be the best team in the country,” McGrath said. “They were hugely impressive against Dublin and I wouldn’t concur with the general theory it was same old, same old at the end of the Kilkenny game.”
A third successive win would leave Waterford in an enviable position at this stage of the campaign, but after having their character questioned in Nowlan Park two weeks ago, Tipperary will be very keen to lay down a marker of their own.
