Tipperary rack up magnificent seven

GAELIC GAMES:A WEEK ago Kilkenny gave notice that they were back on track after last year's disappointment and yesterday in Cork's Páirc Uí­ Chaoimh it was the turn of the Tipperary side that prevented their five-in-a-row last September to turn on the heat and move the seemingly inevitable third successive meeting of the counties in an All-Ireland final a step closer.

Tipp came up against a Waterford side, which under David Fitzgerald for the past four seasons has done a decent job of rebuilding while remaining competitive, and didn’t so much relieve them of last year’s Munster title as confiscate it and forbid them to win again until further notice.

With their lethal forwards in full spate, Tipperary shot seven goals and won as they pleased, 7-19 to 0-19. After a few minutes the optimistic notion that Waterford would transcend the restrictions of the game’s current hierarchy was dead.

The historic data was strewn around like confetti. The biggest number of goals scored since 1936 when Limerick managed eight. Tipperary’s seven yesterday featured four from Lar Corbett to go with the three he got in last year’s All-Ireland final.

Lar himself wasn’t fooled by all the scale of his and the team’s achievement into straying off message and that message is Kilkenny.

“When you look at Kilkenny over the last decade, they’re getting the ball in quick. It’s not a tactic, it’s just about getting it in. We’re under no illusions – Waterford weren’t up to the pace and they’d accept that themselves.

“There’s a huge hole there for Tipp to fall into, to get complacent – we’re in an All-Ireland semi-final but we’re under no illusions, we can’t let minds soften. We have to drive on to the next level. If we stay at this level we’ll pay the consequences for it next day.”

Having won a Munster final by the biggest margin in 29 years, what did he mean by “the next level”?

“Isn’t that sport; that there’s always another level? If you ever think you’re at the top of anything, it’s the biggest mistake you could make.”

He then adapted the moral of the story for the attendant press pack. “In your jobs you’re being challenged every day, remember that – there’s papers going bust, ask the right questions! But there’s another level in everyone. Thank God we’ve a panel and management there that are prepared to drive on, and to avoid complacency.”

His manager Declan Ryan paid tribute to his most productive forward. “He’s an incredible player when he gets the right type of ball. We know we have scoring potential there in our forward line, and if we get them enough ball we can do some damage.

“The ball seemed to fall right for us today. It didn’t seem to fall for Waterford at all.”

Another individual achievement on a day when the depressed state of attendances at matches continued with just 36,654 spectators turning up in Cork, was that of long-serving Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins who yesterday equalled Christy Ring’s record of 65 championship appearances.

Ryan allowed him the honour of an individual ovation by withdrawing him just minutes before the end. Afterwards he paid him this tribute.

“It’s a fantastic achievement for Brendan. He’s been superb since the mid 1990s and I’m delighted for him.”

Waterford were unable to fulfil the role of anything other than support players on the day. In the media room their veteran corner forward John Mullane apologised on television to the supporters and manager David Fitzgerald took the questions with resignation.

“It is very hard to take. We are absolutely all gutted. We are not as bad as that. If Tipp get two or three goals on you and smell blood then they will finish you. That is what they did today.”

The kindly thought was offered that Galway, Waterford’s opponents in the All-Ireland quarter-finals in two weeks, have never beaten them in championship. Fitzgerald was having none of it.

“I don’t think that will matter to them too much. I wouldn’t say they are f**king shaking in their boots after that. It is a stupid stat to be honest. Galway are on fire. We are not on fire. It looks like a one-horse race. We will turn up and see what happens.”