Tipperary’s forgettable Sunday wouldn’t be easy to put out of mind. Suffering a defeat to Limerick, a rival they haven’t managed to best in ten attempts, was a bitter pill to swallow. Their last triumph over John Kiely’s men dates back to the Munster Championship of 2019. Further increasing Tipp’s woes was the crushing sense of fatalism that swept over them during the 15-point trouncing.
The feeling of doom was strong, even at the half-time break, despite only trailing by five points; the wind had favoured Limerick but the game was far from lost. Tipp just required a spark to ignite their play on an otherwise lifeless day of a monotonous match. A missed opportunity for a goal had the potential to reinvigorate them – if only Mark Kehoe had been quicker to react to a Noel McGrath effort that hit the post just after the restart. But instead, Seán Finn managed to clear for Limerick. Quickly following that misfortune, Kehoe was replaced, and Aaron Gillane netted a goal for Limerick. The game effectively ended there.
Tipp barely made an impact for a whole 15 minutes, failing to score from play or even pick up a yellow card. They were barely there, as Limerick proceeded in full flow, comfortable enough to make substitutions without missing a step.
Liam Cahill, post match, seemed bemused over Tipp’s dwindling energy. Wary of facing the All-Ireland champions on their home ground, he asserted the need for absolute certainty to seize the game. His concern was the lack of conviction to contest, whether in a skirmish or individual duels. Despite appearing in top form during training, the team’s matchday performance remains strangely lacking.
Discussing the forthcoming Waterford match on Saturday, Cahill addressed potential challenges moving forward, although it remains unclear how his team will proceed. Despite their defeat to Limerick, Clare was able to find solace in having controlled the game for a significant amount of time. Likewise, Cork, although defeated in both games, understands they could have triumphed over Clare during the past weekend’s game.
For Tipp, however, there is no such silver lining. One can lose their debut game without losing the entire season, but failure to show up is unacceptable. On Sunday at the Gaelic Grounds, Cahill’s team demonstrated a lack of tenacity and character. They hardly gave the impression of a team poised for their opening Munster Championship duel, but rather, looked like a squad battling through a challenging year.
There has been a palpable absence of leadership between their recent performances and the league semi-final, with the loss of Seamus Kennedy leaving a noticeable void. Dan McCormack’s lack of play time against Limerick was also interesting, given his regular role as a standout player. Equally, no championship game time has been accorded to Paddy Cadell since 2022, despite his impressive running and tackling efforts being a highlight of Colm Bonnar’s year.
Current focus shifts certainly to Caleb, especially with his upcoming faceoff with a resurgent Waterford. This has become even more pronounced after his puzzling post-match critique of Derek McGrath. Cahill, unasked, opined on Waterford’s athletic capability, and referred to a remark by their former manager that any team defeating Waterford was sure to ascend the Hogan Stand steps. Despite this being a random point to raise after a heavy loss, it possibly hinted at the pressure Cahill might be under. He urgently needs a victory on Saturday at Walsh Park, not just for himself, but also for his Tipperary side’s morale.
Comprehending his overall record as a senior intercounty manager, it’s quite decent – 21 games played, nine triumphs, ten defeats, and two draws. However, his track record in the Munster Championship rather disappoints – out of 12 games, he only won three, suffered seven defeats and two matches ended in a draw. Failing to secure victory in Walsh Park would mean just a single win in his first six games of the Munster Championship serving as the Tipp manager – a challenging setback to recover from. It’s essential for them to discover a winning strategy in the imminent days, or the year’s hopes might dissolve rather swiftly.