BROWNE: TIPP NOW EXPECT TO BEAT ORCHARD
Tipperary Armagh Netwatch Dr Cullen Park, 7pm (Live on SKY)
IT’S a sign of the rising standards in Tipperary that Declan Browne reckons a win over Armagh today will only see them achieve a baseline objective. Browne, arguably the Tipp’s greatest ever footballer, believes that with football in the county now on a decades-long high, they should be aiming to be a factor in the Championship come late July every year. And given that there are more heavyweight teams on the A side of the qualifiers, a win in today’s round 3B tie in Thurles would put them within striking distance of emulating last year’s All-ireland semi-final run. Over the course of Browne’s career, Tipp only reached the last 12 stage once, in 2002, although he also played in a Munster final in the pre-qualifier era in 1998. The double All-star said: “I said it myself at the start of the year that that’s our goal. That should be our goal every year, last 12. “Going the direct route would have been handier, beating Cork would have been a lot handier but if we do manage to get over Armagh anything is possible. “I don’t think any team will ever take Tipp for granted anymore. That’s the way it’s gone. “I don’t think the lads will be looking forward to anything other than Armagh, which is obviously the way to prepare.”
Although it’s their first ever Championship meeting, Tipperary and Armagh have a bit of previous with some notable League meetings in recent years, none more so than Tipp’s smash and grab raid at the Athletic Grounds in April as Michael Quinlivan’s late goal secured promotion at their expense. Browne continued: “I think it’s moreso [a factor] from an Armagh perspective than ours. We got what we wanted out of it. “I know it was robbery but I think Armagh will be thinking about that more than what we’d be thinking about. It will have a bearing, obviously. “Our lads only scored 3-8. 3-8 to 0-16 so that in itself tells you how dominant Armagh were but they still couldn’t close out the game so I think the pressure is still probably on Armagh because they’re supposed to be in All-ireland quarter-finals, that’s what they believe, that’s what’s expected of them.” Tipperary closing out tight games certainly isn’t a new phenomenon, with last weekend’s stirring victory in Cavan just the latest example. Browne added: “It’s something we didn’t have down through the years. If a team got on top of us the gap was widening rather than closing so this group, in fairness to them, they showed it last year as well. “Last year is shown now not to be a fluke. I think that’s a monkey off the Tipp lads’ backs.” VERDICT: Tipperary