Galway, and Ger Loughnane, may have inadvertently done Tipperary a big favour, according to Jamesie O'Connor.

The Premier County's league final humbling at the hands of the Tribesmen last Sunday was the subject of harsh criticism from two-time All-Ireland winning Clare manager Loughnane.

O'Connor, however, believes the 0-14 to 3-21 reversal could turn out to have been a blessing in disguise for Michael Ryan and his All-Ireland champions.

"A journalist once remarked of my former manager that he was "incapable of uttering anything other than good copy" during his time at the helm in Clare," he writes in today's Sunday Independent.

"Love him or loathe him, you can't ignore the devil in him, and 20 years on, not much has changed. On Monday morning he couldn't resist wading in with both feet after Tipp's no-show in last Sunday's national league final.

"Describing them in his column in The Irish Daily Star as "not even a good team, not to mind a great one", as well as labelling them "soft and complacent", won't have endeared Ger to the Tipperary hurling public. Michael Ryan too may have bristled initially at Loughnane's analysis of what he only too well knows was a bad day at the office."

The 1997 Hurler of the Year continued: "If Tipp go on to defend their Munster and All-Ireland titles, the events of last Sunday will have played a hugely significant role.

"The Tipp players now know that there is serious opposition still out there. Hungry opposition, physical opposition, and if their heads aren't right, there'll be no back-to-back titles.

"They got a stern warning to that effect from Kilkenny in Thurles a few weeks back. They got a more severe reminder in Limerick last Sunday.

"No one will remember who won the 2017 league in ten or 20 years' time, and he arguably learned more about his side, and what he has on the bench, in defeat than he would in a victory.

"There's no room for the mental softness and complacency Loughnane alluded to in Monday's article.

"Those words and his criticisms are like to be nailed on the dressing room door all summer.

"That's bad news for Cork, because any chances of Tipp sleepwalking into an ambush in the championship first round completely evaporated seven days ago."

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