Tipperary vs. Kilkenny All-Ireland Semi-Final, Croke Park, 19th August

[johnneycool]

I would think the chances of man marking Shefflin with Paudie are zero Johnney, Paudies deliveries into the forwards are far too important for Tipp, i have a feeling Shefflin will be on O'Brien in the corner to start with to try and exploit the height difference.

I wouldn't have any great worries about Shefflin on Tom Stapelton either as Henrys game ain't about speed and thats Toms achilles heel,in fairness I don't believe Tipp will be worrying unduly about Shefflin in any case, Rice and Fennelly are the beating heart of this Kilkenny team now,Fennelly in particular, the work the pair of them are asked to do to link the forwards and backs is phenomenal as Cody will undoubtedly have his halfbackline as deep as last years final to limit the space in front of the full backline that cost them so dearly in 2010, the result will largely hinge on Tipp creating space by dragging the half backs out which will require us to at least break even in midfield.

Can't see Shefflin starting in the half forwards on Sunday week either, but was just making the point that I thought Deccy let it go on too long before he made the change, maybe he has improved with experience in this regard.

I've always thought you'd need to take a few long range points early on and get a bit of a lead to draw the Kilkenny half backs out, but Hogan will invariably sit deep no matter what's happening in front of him and as you say they rely very heavily on Fennelly in particular to cover the ground left by Hogan

[homeofhurling8]

I have a feeling that Deccie and co have had that deep lying Kilkenny half backline and how to counteract it in the back of their mind since last September, i think the role Lar played in the second half of the Munster final was a glimpse of what the plan is, Sheedy started Lar at 11 on Hogan in 2009 with the plan being to drag Hogan out but Hogan is a disciplined performer and refused to budge which led to Lar popping over four points from distance, in Bren Maher and Shane McGrath we have two lads in centrefield well able to pop over a score as well as Noel McGrath, the middle third is going to be some battleground Sunday week !

[Reillers]

I think the teams that are left, Tipp, Galway and Cork do not fear Kilkenny the way others do. All 3 (well all 2) are absolutely capable of beating Kilkenny. Tipp need to keep their head, don't get brought down to Kilkenny's game, let them play their own.

[AZOffaly]

'Get brought down to Kilkenny's game' Are you for real? They have been the best team in the country for the last 10 years.

[seafoid]

This is going to be a massive match . Shefflin might retire after this year and if they win the all ireland he'll have 9 medals. Tipp have only won one all Ireland with this team and they know that isn't very good.

[homeofhurling8]

Was at a loose end Thursday evening so i headed down to training to see how things were going, it was probably the 10th or 11th Tipp training session i have been to this year and by far the most impressive.

I had some doubts about Ross Dunphy taking over from Cian this year but i must admit he seems to have timed the physical conditioning to perfection,it took the lads a while to get used to Dunphys way of doing things having had Cians particular brand of cajoling for the previous three years, Dunphys approach  is more drill sargeant than Cians but it seems to be working, the drills were excellent with Tommy taking the forwards and Declan Fanning the backs, one thing is certain our forwards wont be sticking rigidly to  their positions like they did in last years all Ireland.

In the game played all the forwards on view were a blur of movement, Shane Bourke, Pa and Lar were particularly impressive with Lar looking ultra sharp, Shane must be pretty close to starting at this stage but i believe the team will be the same side that started the Munster final, Eoin Kelly and Noel McGrath didn't train but will both be fine, Gearoid Ryan is out though with a broken finger, the game at the end of training was pretty feisty, Paudie Maher creased Seamie Callinan and then hit him another dunt for good measure( must have been channeling his inner "Tyrell" ), Shane McGrath and James Woodlock knocked sparks off each other as well, Brendan Maher looked to be approaching his 2010 form and Paul Curran was moving more freely than of late, i think Tommy forgot to borrow the whistle from Brian Cody for the night

Its going to be one hell of a battle on Sunday.

[Bud Wiser]

Tipp need to keep their head, don't get brought down to Kilkenny's game,

You never lost it Reillers, it could only come from a Cork man.

[orangeman]

Tipp talk is that if they win on Sunday that the defeat will "finish" this KK team.


Dangerous talk that.

The Cork team of the mid noughties were in my view much, much better than this Tipp team and the Cork lads did their best but KK prevailed.

[imtommygunn]

Intriguing match. Kk midfield really need to get back to their best to win this one.

Kilkenny are a wounded animal. I think they will win this one maybe by a bit.

Be interesting to see how lar does.

I'd like to see a tipp Galway final. It's a great rivalry and you can see the claws come out with a few boys here.

[homeofhurling8]

Tipp talk is that if they win on Sunday that the defeat will "finish" this KK team.


Dangerous talk that.

The Cork team of the mid noughties were in my view much, much better than this Tipp team and the Cork lads did their best but KK prevailed.

What "Tipp talk" is that then ?  Throw up an auld link to an article or radio/tv interview with one of the Tipp lads saying they will "finish" Kilkenny like a good chap.

I know a fair clatter of lads from both sides and there is nothing but the height of respect between both camps( Jaysus is there ever a wedding of a panel member that isn't attended by half of the other sides panel), i know some of the Kilkenny lads were disappointed with the stories that appeared after last years All Ireland about them being unhappy with Tipps reaction to winning in 2010, just like Tipp were unhappy that stories were going around after 2010 that Tipp were gunning for Kilkenny after 09 as Kilkenny were saying that Tipps performance in 09 was a flash in the pan, its all bullshit made up by journalists trying to sell papers, any senior hurler who needs a perceived sleight to get up for an All Ireland final ( or semi) shouldn't be let near a jersey and wouldn't be, all the rubbish that pundits come up with about teams pinning negative articles to a dressing room wall for motivation are just that,rubbish, these lads are elite athletes at the pinnacle of their chosen sport, they are,to a man, winners , who need no motivation other than to be the best.

[johnneycool]

Tipp talk is that if they win on Sunday that the defeat will "finish" this KK team.


Dangerous talk that.

The Cork team of the mid noughties were in my view much, much better than this Tipp team and the Cork lads did their best but KK prevailed.

That was a much younger KK team back then and alas every dog has its day.

Kilkenny no matter what happens this year will have key positions to fill very shortly as Noel Hickey is past his best, JJ Delaney has some miles on the clock, Big Hogan is getting more and more injuries, Larkin and Shefflin also have been on the go for quite a while as well.

There are players there to fill spaces like TJ Reid, Richie Power et all, but certainly a new fullback will be required in the next year, Cody may have a ready replacement in mind or move Tyrell in but changes will need to be made.

[orangeman]

Tipp talk is that if they win on Sunday that the defeat will "finish" this KK team.


Dangerous talk that.

The Cork team of the mid noughties were in my view much, much better than this Tipp team and the Cork lads did their best but KK prevailed.

What "Tipp talk" is that then ?  Throw up an auld link to an article or radio/tv interview with one of the Tipp lads saying they will "finish" Kilkenny like a good chap.I know a fair clatter of lads from both sides and there is nothing but the height of respect between both camps( Jaysus is there ever a wedding of a panel member that isn't attended by half of the other sides panel), i know some of the Kilkenny lads were disappointed with the stories that appeared after last years All Ireland about them being unhappy with Tipps reaction to winning in 2010, just like Tipp were unhappy that stories were going around after 2010 that Tipp were gunning for Kilkenny after 09 as Kilkenny were saying that Tipps performance in 09 was a flash in the pan, its all bullshit made up by journalists trying to sell papers, any senior hurler who needs a perceived sleight to get up for an All Ireland final ( or semi) shouldn't be let near a jersey and wouldn't be, all the rubbish that pundits come up with about teams pinning negative articles to a dressing room wall for motivation are just that,rubbish, these lads are elite athletes at the pinnacle of their chosen sport, they are,to a man, winners , who need no motivation other than to be the best.

I don't know who Cahill what players Cahill was talking to if any. You'd need to ask him. He's a Tipp man.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/809/333321/      From about 39 minutes into this podcast.

I was surprised he came out with this stuff live on air. There must be some sort of talk about it ?. But I'm not surprised being a Tipp man that you'd want to avoid this sort of loose talk. The KK lads would love to hear it. Cats are dangerous enough without being goaded about retiring them.

[homeofhurling8]

Jesus wept, so as i suspected the "Tipp talk" is pub talk rehashed by a journalist,nothing to do with the panel or management team, a journalist by the way who wouldn't be privy to any inside info following his publication of an off the record conversation under Sheedys reign, i was at a wedding in Cork in July and a couple of Kilkenny people told me that they would beat us by a point a man, that's fair dangerous talk don't you think, Kilkenny talk of beating us by a point a man, fierce dangerous that loose talk

Why on earth as a Tipp man would i "want to avoid any loose talk", do you think either the Tipp or Kilkenny lads give a flying fcuk what an assortment of malcontents,has beens,never have beens and never will bes say on a website or in the pub, i can see Declan at training tonight, "a shure fcuk it lads, no point turning up Sunday, Jimmy below in the Arch told Jackie that we will finish the cats Sunday, shure we have ne'er a chance now, Cody and the boys will be bulllin".

I wonder will the Tipp lads have a recording of Mulcahy accusing Lar of cheating on Sunday night Sunday game playing on the old mp3 players before they go out Sunday,will the rehashing of pub talk by a pundit be on their minds, will it fcuk as like.

I wonder will Eddie Kehers famous "Kilkenny have no interest in back door All-Irelands" be weighing on the minds of the Kilkenny panel on Sunday or will  Mulhalls "Tipperary kiss my arse " jibe at last years homecoming  be foremost in Tipp minds, will it fcuk as like, what will be foremost in the minds of both panels of players will be the 75-77 minutes of pain and hurt that face them on the sacred sod and the 12 months of pain and hurt that await the losers.

[orangeman]

Jesus wept, so as i suspected the "Tipp talk" is pub talk rehashed by a journalist,nothing to do with the panel or management team, a journalist by the way who wouldn't be privy to any inside info following his publication of an off the record conversation under Sheedys reign, i was at a wedding in Cork in July and a couple of Kilkenny people told me that they would beat us by a point a man, that's fair dangerous talk don't you think, Kilkenny talk of beating us by a point a man, fierce dangerous that loose talk

Why on earth as a Tipp man would i "want to avoid any loose talk", do you think either the Tipp or Kilkenny lads give a flying fcuk what an assortment of malcontents,has beens,never have beens and never will bes say on a website or in the pub, i can see Declan at training tonight, "a shure fcuk it lads, no point turning up Sunday, Jimmy below in the Arch told Jackie that we will finish the cats Sunday, shure we have ne'er a chance now, Cody and the boys will be bulllin".

I wonder will the Tipp lads have a recording of Mulcahy accusing Lar of cheating on Sunday night Sunday game playing on the old mp3 players before they go out Sunday,will the rehashing of pub talk by a pundit be on their minds, will it fcuk as like.

I wonder will Eddie Kehers famous "Kilkenny have no interest in back door All-Irelands" be weighing on the minds of the Kilkenny panel on Sunday or will  Mulhalls "Tipperary kiss my arse " jibe at last years homecoming  be foremost in Tipp minds, will it fcuk as like, what will be foremost in the minds of both panels of players will be the 75-77 minutes of pain and hurt that face them on the sacred sod and the 12 months of pain and hurt that await the losers.

Thanks for clearing all that up and it's good to hear it's all bullshit and all pub talk just like Cahill said it was in that podcast. I never believed a word of it myself. 
But sure some players, supporters and internet posters would nearly believe anything. 

[homeofhurling8]

Indeed they would, shur didn't Lar have a £3000 bet on himself not to score in the Munster hurling final, placed by his good friend Redser O'Grady, it must be true a fine upstanding gentleman like ex Cork captain Tomas Mulcahy mentioned it on national television on Sunday night

It must be in the water in Tipp, shur didn't Babs bet the ranch on Cork to beat Tipp in the 1990 Munster final