Over to you, Tipperary. Recently retired Premier hero Eoin Kelly was in Croke Park this week with sponsor Etihad to promote a championship that really doesn't need much promoting any more.
Kilkenny have returned to devastating form with a reinvigorated attack and defence, dispensing of Galway in a fashion that seemed almost obvious to the six-time All Star.
“I was disappointed that they fell into Kilkenny’s trap when Kilkenny were trying to keep the lead, to keep it very defensive,” said Kelly. “The ball was going in, and there was only one team mopping it up.
"What comes to mind is Johnny Coen got a ball and he hit it 100 yards, lorried it down and he's a good hurler. Could have picked out a man in midfield or half forward and tried to score outside. Cillian Buckley just caught the ball and drove it up field."
Opportunity
That result makes the flood of hurling into Thurles this weekend the ideal opportunity to respond.
Cork, Clare, Dublin and Limerick will have their say on Saturday evening before Division 1B upstarts Waterford seek to topple Tipperary in their own Semple Stadium.
Kelly expects Eamon O’Shea’s charges to arrive armed with two plans.
“If Tipp get hung up on the Waterford system of play, I fear that Tipp won’t perform to the best of their ability,” Kelly said. “They will probably use two game plans; I’d like to see them go at it the way they play themselves and say, ‘Right Waterford, this is what we do’ and if Waterford get scores on the board, Tipp may have to have to start shooting scores outside.”
Like they did in the All-Ireland final. Like Galway were unable to do against Kilkenny. Like the Leinster and All-Ireland champions always seem to be able to do.
“Waterford are 22 months into the way they play. It is not the first year Derek McGrath has used it, he played with that system in the league last year. They are after tweaking small things but they really seem to be comfortable with it.
“I think any coach it takes him 18 months to really get the rhythm of his style of play into the team. I saw that with Eamon O’Shea when he came in. It took 18 months for Tipp to really produce their best.”
It’s expected constantly now.
