Premier can restore Munster’s lost honour

THIS is one to savour. The self anointed home of hurling against the actual home of hurling. Neighbours and deadly rivals going to war in a traditional final. Batten down the hatches this Sunday could be an absolute epic.

We certainly hope so anyway. After a slow start the hurling summer has come to life in a major way over the last couple of games. Three near classics in the space of seven days did much to restore faith in the ancient art.

Talk of systems and sweepers went out the window as teams went for the jugular, starting with Waterford taking on Kilkenny and followed shortly thereafter by Galway and Tipperary in the second semi-final.

In the aftermath of those games it felt as though Kilkenny were what we imagine them to be in the collective consciousness – indefatigable, impregnable, inevitable. And to a certain extent they are all that.

With Brian Cody at the helm there are very few out there who wouldn’t be intimidated by the prospect of facing them in battle? With a little more time to reflect they are probably more vulnerable than they first appear to be.

It’s not just that Waterford should have seen them off quite comfortably in the drawn semi-final, it’s just as much that they themselves weren’t able to put down Waterford when they had the chance in the replay.

Cody’s Cats were much the better side that day in Semple and, yet, they had to wait until time added on to seal the deal. That suggests to us that whatever happens, even if they play below par, Tipperary should be there or thereabouts coming down the back straight.

Kilkenny have some absolutely sensational forwards – step forward Richie Hogan and TJ Reid – even so they seem to, on the basis of the semi-final, lack the out and out firepower that defined them at their best.

Plenty of people, of course, would argue that the firepower has merely been the icing on top for Kilkenny. Instead what has defined them is hunger and work-rate and intensity and all of that.

That’s probably right and they’ve lost none of that either. It was sheer bloodymindedness that allowed them to live with Waterford that first day in Croke Park. Just as it’s unlikely – in our view – that they’ll blow Tipperary away, it’s equally unlikely that Tipperary will blow them away.

Not that the Premier don’t have the most impressive array of attacking talent in the game right now. On their day they can be absolutely devastating. John McGrath is having the summer of his life. Noel McGrath looks to be back to something like to his best.

And then there’s Bubbles. John O’Dwyer missed the Munster final. Didn’t feature from the start in the semi-final and scored a decisive goal within fifteen minutes of his introduction.

If there’s one man who’s going to be chomping at the bit to make a statement in the All Ireland final it’s him. It would be a huge surprise if Michael Ryan doesn’t start him on Sunday.

Still Kilkenny people would be feeling fairly confident that if anybody can tame Tipperary up front it’s them. Padraig Walsh or somebody of that ilk would feel confident of doing a job on O’Dwyer. Joey Holden ought to be match for Seamus Callinan. Paul Murphy is a match for anybody.

And still we’re bullish on Tipperary’s prospects. Perhaps we shouldn’t be. After all Galway put a not unimpressive 2-18 on them in the semi-final and that was without Joe Canning for most of the match.

On the plus column for Tipp, they won a close game. It’s long been suggested that they lack the wherewithal, even the character to do so. You gotta believe that’s stung them.

Another thing to consider is that very few Munster champions, just three in ten years prior to Tipperary’s victory over Galway, have won their All Ireland semi-final since Cork won the title as Munster’s standard bearers in 2005.

On the previous two occasions the Premier have reached the All Ireland final as reigning Munster champions they’ve been beaten... by Kilkenny. There’s death, taxes and Kilkenny in All Ireland finals.

The time has come for the Munster championship’s honour to be restored, for its champion to be proclaimed champion of all Ireland. It’s been too long and Tipperary look like a side capable of doing so.

Their half-back line is at least the equal of Kilkenny’s, even if it hasn’t seemed that way in previous finals this time we think that will be the case. The Cats have targeted the Mahers before. This time they’re ready.

Remember too that Michael Fennelly won’t be playing on Sunday. He has been absolutely critical for Kilkenny this year. Without him on the pitch will the Cats have the same drive? Will they be able to contain the increasingly impressive Michael Breen? Time will tell as it always does.

Tipperary to win.