Tipperary v Waterford Sunday 3.30pm (Live on RTE 2)
With all due respect to the two teams involved on Sunday, in some respect they must feel like two women competing to be the chief bridesmaid at their best friend’s wedding.
Such is the level of expectancy that Kilkenny are going to go on and make history by claiming an historic fifth All-Ireland title in a row, that in many people’s eyes, the winner of Sunday’s encounter will be a mere footnote when the Cats’ historic achievement is revisited for generations to come.
Even the bookies, never ones to over-indulge in hyperbole, are writing off the chances of the two potential finalists, particularly Waterford, who are an astonishing 16/1 to win the All-Ireland title outright. Tipp are a more sensible 4/1 to go on and win Liam McCarthy, but the message is clear: It will take something akin to a miracle for Brian Cody’s side to be denied this year.
The Offaly footballers of 1982, who denied Kerry’s five in a row attempt all those years ago, will testify to the fact that no team is invincible and while they will talk up Kilkenny until the cows come home, the winners of Sunday’s encounter will quietly relish the underdogs tag and the chance to make a little history of their own.
Who that team will be is a difficult one to call. Despite not losing a game in the championship and beating a side that had already crushed Tipperary by ten points, Waterford go into Sunday’s game as underdogs, just as they did when they came out on top after a bruising All-Ireland semi-final between the teams two years ago.
The reason for that tag is the nature of their performances so far. They were underwhelming against Clare first time out and although they showed plenty of heart and spirit in both games against Cork, the fact remains their scoring returns in both games, particularly the replay (1-16 after extra time) probably won’t be enough for them to prevail on Sunday.
Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh has been immense for the Deise in this campaign
Davy Fitz deserves credit for the way he has managed the Deise this year, with his policy of preserving old hands such as Tony Browne, Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan clearly paying dividends. He will be looking for another commanding performance from Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh (above) at the heart of the defence, but John Mullane could do with some help up front.
Because Waterford played their last game only eight days before Tipperary last lined out, momentum shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but whatever momentum there is, it is certainly with the Premier County. The morale in the camp is no doubt sky high after they edged an absolutely gripping encounter against Galway in the dying stages.
Liam Sheedy’s side look a far cry from the team that surrendered meekly against Cork in the Munster championship and some of their established performers such as Lar Corbett and Eoin Kelly in attack and Conor O’Mahony in defence, look to be firing on all cylinders. Brendan Maher was superb against Galway and will have Shane McGrath, restored to his rightful position at midfield, alongside him in a more balanced looking Tipp side.
With the likes of Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan and Seamus Callinan waiting in reserve, both benches could have a big part to play in what has the potential to be a cracking game that could well leave Kilkenny supporters sitting uneasily before the first Sunday in September.
Liam Sheedy has made one change to the side that defeated Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final, with John O’Brien coming at left half forward for David Young. Shane McGrath switches from the half-forward line to midfield as a result.
Davy Fitzgerald has stuck with the same fifteen that defeated Cork in the Munster final replay.
Read our exclusive interview with Tipperary forward Eoin Kelly here.
Check out what Ollie Canning, Tommy Dunne and Fergal Hartley had to say ahead of the game in a video preview here.
Teams:
Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, P Maher; B Maher, S McGrath; G Ryan, P Maher, J O’Brien; N McGrath, L Corbett, E Kelly.
Waterford: C Hennessy; E Murphy, L Lawlor, N Connors; T Browne, M Walsh, D Prendergast; S O’Sullivan, R Foley; K Moran, S Molumphy, E Kelly; J Mullane, S Walsh, S Prendergast.
Odds:
Tipperary 4/11, Waterford 13/5, Draw 12/1
JOE Prediction: It’s going to be mighty close, but we think Tipp can prevail and get a crack at Kilkenny in the final for the second year in a row.
