GAELIC GAMES/Galway v Tipperary:THERE'S BEEN more fuss generated by this evening's Bórd Gáis Energy GAA under-21 hurling final than for a long time.
Whatever the merits of Thurles as a permanent venue for the final, it is unfortunate that such a plan would only be aired at a stage when it was obvious that Tipperary would be contesting it.
Forcing a county without agreement to play a match of this importance in their opponents’ home venue is simply not fair, especially in a week when Semple Stadium has become Party Central for the new All-Ireland champions.
If counties want to agree to Thurles as a permanent venue for under-21 finals, that’s fine, as would be accepting it with the proviso that when Tipp qualify a neutral venue should be used.
Whatever the solution, it should be accepted that this year’s is part of a home-and-away agreement between the counties and the next final between them at the grade should be played in Pearse Stadium.
Anyway, on the field it’s hard to see Tipperary slipping up. They have brought through the exceptional cohort of minors from 2006 and ’07 and managed to get many of them senior medals even before an under-21 All-Ireland.
Five of last week’s starters line-out, including three who will have won their first All Star by the end of the year, which adds up to an impressive graduation.
John Coughlan’s suspension has given Tipp their own cause celebre, although a less sustainable one, but it won’t fatally undermine their title challenge. The Mahers, Pádraic and Brendan drop back to fill numbers three and six respectively, which will hardly weaken the defence.
Galway do something similar with David Burke, who has had an impressive season with the seniors at centrefield.
When these players met at minor, Tipp won comprehensively and, on form to date, they are comfortable favourites, having worked through a competitive Munster championship before irradiating Antrim.
Galway huffed and puffed a bit to defeat an understrength Dublin in the semi-final, during which promising forward Richie Cummins aggravated an ankle injury. He’s declared fit, but after last week no one needs reminding that even the best of players can struggle unless 100 per cent.
GALWAY: C Finnegan; D Connolly, P Gordon, G O’Halloran; S Óg Linnane, D Burke (capt), N Donoghue; J Coen, B Daly; J Regan, N Quinn, E Forde; R Cummins, G Burke, G Kelly.
TIPPERARY: J Logue; K O’Gorman, Pádraic Maher (capt), M Cahill; J Barry, B Maher, C Hough; S Hennessy, N McGrath; S Carey, Patrick Maher, B O’Meara; M Heffernan, P Murphy, J O’Dwyer.
Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).
