Final win is best advert for positivity
I’VE a gut feeling that a great hurling era is coming again. Kilkenny have been so dominant for so long, the nature of Tipperary’s victory has immediately given so many more counties hope.
Players and supporters often bring up the 1990s, and the great spread of All-Ireland winners that included Wexford, Offaly and Clare, as a benchmark for good times in the game and I feel a huge sense of excitement is building again. I don’t think hurling was ever as popular.
That’s why I have been so passionate about the perils of defensive hurling and the use of sweepers. There is a responsibility as hurling people to see the game played in a certain way.
Waterford and Clare will realise that you will never win unless you’re attacking, that you need your best forwards close to the goal. Even last Sunday, I’d say Darren Gleeson was happy to see TJ Reid get the ball 90 yards from the Tipperary goal.
This summer, we’ve seen Tony Kelly, Conor McGrath and Podge Collins, three brilliant forwards, playing one-twos 100 yards from the goal. Why?
There is no point winning three All-Ireland Under 21 titles and then thinking the game must be reinvented to pull the wool over Kilkenny’s eyes. Tipperary didn’t.
They found backs to mark tight and win the ball in the air; forwards to win their own ball and stay up and score.
Next year, I hope managers and teams take an equally positive approach to the game.