Hurling previews: Tipperary bring new energy to a familiar challenge
Saturday
All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals
Galway v Tipperary, Gaelic Grounds, 6.15pm (Live, RTÉ2) –
Up until two years ago, in all of the meetings between these counties in the modern era, from 1987, neither had managed to win more than two consecutive matches. That was until
Galway
won the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final at the same venue to go three in succession. Aside from that, the sense is very much that it's Tipperary's time and not simply because it's their turn.
Liam Cahill fields a much changed team this time, having introduced a cohort of younger players, all of whom have shown promise. The big defeat to date was by
Cork
after a match
Tipp
had to navigate with 14 players and in the circumstances, put their heads down and competed until the end.
They have momentum and purpose. Coming third in Munster was an achievement and not a failure like two years ago, and they look like a team that's learning as they go. Older members, John McGrath and, Ronan Maher and Jason Forde are also playing well.
READ MORE
Tipperary's All-Ireland winning under-20s have supplied Darragh McCarthy, a precociously ice-veined freetaker, and Sam O'Farrell, a lively middle third player.
Tipperary's John McGrath during the preliminary quarter-final against Laois. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Cahill gives an unexpected full debut to Peter McGarry, who came in against Laois in the preliminary quarter-final and acquitted himself very well in the half forwards.
Galway have been a more complicated story. They are under new management this year, as Micheál Donoghue has made a welcome return but he hasn't been able to magic up a cohort of new players and so they are less changed from two years ago.
Leinster was book ended by cuffings from Kilkenny, even if there was a dead-cat bounce at the end of the provincial final. But as has been widely pointed out as one of the lessons of 2023, Galway have frequently arrived at this stage after chastening experiences in the province and yet their All-Ireland quarter-final record is very strong, having won their last five over the past 10 years.
Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship Final, Croke Park, Dublin 8/6/2025
Kilkenny vs Galway
Galway's Seán Linnane, Gavin Lee and John Fleming dejected after the Leinster Final loss to Kilkenny. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
The most recent Croke Park display remains troubling however, as it featured a lengthy fade-out which all but sank their prospects, plus random distribution into attack and a lack of bite in defence. Even in the de facto Leinster semi-final with Dublin, Galway inattention enabled their opponents to renegotiate a hammering as a simple defeat.
It is likely they will find improvement here. Cathal Mannion has been their best player but has occasionally been stymied by the collective malaise. Donoghue has lost Fintan Burke to injury but the team has more in them.
They'll need it, as Clare found that any slackness in defence can invite a goal rush.
Ultimately, Tipperary's hard eked-out passage through Munster contained more signs of sustainable progress and better life lessons than Galway's thrashing of their weaker co-provincials and meltdowns against Kilkenny.
Verdict:
Tipperary
Dublin's Cian O'Sullivan in action during the preliminary quarter-final against Kildare. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Limerick v Dublin, Croke Park, 4pm (Live, RTÉ2) –
Dublin
signed off in Leinster with a very disappointing defeat to Galway but dealt briskly with what on the face of it was a tricky challenge from Joe McDonagh Cup winners
Kildare
in last week's preliminary quarter-final. Niall Ó Ceallacháin has reason for cheer with Dónal Burke's reappearance – at last – in the matchday panel.
Their opponents, however, look a little over-qualified for this. Unless the definite signs of slippage (losing last year's drive-for-five and then this year's grip on their Munster title) in Limerick accelerate alarmingly, they should be emerging from this with some sense of purpose restored.
They had undeniably good performances from some players, such as the enduringly menacing Aaron Gillane, but there were also errors – between handling and shooting – that helped to undo them against Cork.
One worry for John Kiely is that three years ago, Clare having lost a Munster final in extra time found themselves very flat in the All-Ireland quarter-final and although they won, were unable to raise the bar higher for the semi-final.
Although his focus is strictly on this weekend, the Limerick manager will be scanning anxiously for signs of an upswing that can get the team back on the All-Ireland track after the unexpected derailing earlier in the month.
Verdict:
Limerick
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Cork march on past Mayo to set up All-Ireland last eight clash with Dublin
Goals in each half from Katie Quirke sent Cork into the All-Ireland quarter-finals as they held off a late Mayo fightback in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Quirke brace helps Cork through to quarter-final after a battle against Mayo
TG4 All-Ireland SFC: Cork 3-8 Mayo 1-10 Goals in each half from Katie Quirke sent Cork into the All-Ireland quarter-finals as they held off a late Mayo fightback in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar. The Rebels got off to the perfect start when Máire O'Callaghan ran through the heart of the Mayo defence and fired into the net just seconds after the throw-in. With a strong wind at their backs, Mayo's go-to sharpshooter Sinead Walsh struck over two frees before Hannah Looney fisted over Cork's first point after evading the Mayo defence on the end line. Mayo were back level by the end of the first quarter thanks to a third Walsh free and a splendid point from play by substitute Ava McDonnell, who came on in the fourth minute for the injured Erin Murray. Sherin El Massry nudged Mayo ahead before Looney restored parity and Cork went back in front after Katie Quirke's point attempt from 20 metres out sailed over the head of Julia Gawalkiewicz and into the net on 21 minutes. Quirke, a free, and Ava McDonnell traded scores before Mayo were denied a goal themselves after a short Cork kickout was intercepted by Clodagh Keane. The full-forward fed Walsh but Cork goalkeeper Sarah Murphy got back to block, before the game was heavily delayed after Shauna Kelly suffered a serious injury after being caught by the Cork goalkeeper when Murphy blocked Walsh's effort. Leading 2-3 to 0-6 at half-time, Cork kept Mayo at arms' length in the third quarter as a point from Aoife Geraghty and two Walsh frees were matched by a trio of Aine O'Sullivan points. Cork appeared home and hosed after Quirke's second goal on 52 minutes but Mayo were back to within three after substitute Annie Gough found the net. Mayo thought they had levelled it, with a draw enough to send them through at Cork's expense, when Clodagh Keane got on the end of Gough's pass a minute later but it was ruled out for a square ball, and Laura O'Mahony's point made sure of Cork's passage to the last eight late on, while Mayo play Leitrim in the relegation playoff in two weeks' time. Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 2-1 (0-1f), M O'Callaghan 1-0, A O'Sullivan 0-3, H Looney 0-2, L O'Mahony 0-2. Scorers for Mayo: S Walsh 0-6 (5f), A Gough 1-0, A McDonnell 0-2, A Geraghty 0-1, S El Massry 0-1. CORK: S Murphy; S Kelly, S Leahy, M Duggan; A Corcoran, S Cronin, R Corkery; M O'Callaghan, A Healy; A O'Mahony, L O'Mahony, K Horgan; A O'Sullivan, H Looney, K Quirke. Subs: E Cleary for Kelly (25-inj), A Ring for Corkery (45), S McGoldrick for Horgan (50), L Hallihan for A O'Mahony (53). MAYO: J Gawalkiewicz; L Wallace, N O'Malley, C Durkin; D Caldwell, E Brennan S El Massry; H Reape, S Lally; L Hanley, S Walsh, A Geraghty; E Murray, C Keane, K Sullivan. Subs: A McDonnell for Murray (4-inj), A Gough for Sullivan (42), C Whyte for Hanley (50), B Hession for Brennan (52). Referee: G Chapman (Sligo).
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Co Louth's Gavin Tiernan defeated in Amateur Championship final on last hole
American amateur Ethan Fang has beaten Co Louth's Gavin Tiernan 1 up in the Amateur Championship final at Royal St George's after a titanic 36-hole contest. The win earns the world number seven and University of Oklahoma student a place in next month's Open Championship at Portrush and an invite to the Masters next April. Tiernan had been the first player to reach the final after coming through the strokeplay pre-qualifying, and played 139 holes this week before his 36-hole final on Saturday, and was a surprise package to make it there at 1,340th in the amateur world rankings. There was no more than one hole between two players for much of this ding-dong battle, with Tiernan leading for much of the first 18, his highlight a superb tee shot to a few feet at the 16th that enabled him to lead 1 up after 18. READ MORE Fang won the first hole of the second 18 holes with a par and then took the lead for the first time after 23 holes after another Tiernan bogey. However, hitting the par 5 seventh green in two enabled the Co Louth player to get it back to all-square. After a few more back and forths, Fang took seemingly a decisive 2 up lead by taking the 14th and 15th holes, before Tiernan holed two big putts on 16 and 17 to bring the match all-square heading up the 36th hole of the day. But Fang closed out the match with a brilliant iron approach to five feet as he holed the putt to become the first American winner of the Amateur since Drew Weaver in 2007. Tiernan was looking to become the ninth winner of the competition, which has been running since 1885. Previous winners include Sergio Garcia and José María Olazábal.
