To say they are soft is daft, they were the width of a post from winning it last year and I think more has to be made of the failure of the munster champions for the last number of years to make the final, the 5 week layoff does them no good, tipp in 2011 were the last champions to make it. I know the argument that kilkenny do it every year but more often than not kilkenny can be fairly confident of winning leinster, they do struggle a bit when they dont win it (2013, 2012 all ireland final went to replay) whereas the munster teams knock seven shades out of each other then sit on their hands for 5 weeks, not ideal prep at all. So tipp soft, not at all I'd have been very confident if they'd scraped a draw they'd have won the replay.

duckula20 (Antrim) - Posts: 175 - 18/08/2015 08:12:45    1771743

Not for one second do I think this Tipp team are soft.Not a bit of it.They were outplayed on the day thats all.They still almost won and but for some inspired goalkeeping would have won.
They are about as soft as my teeth.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 18/08/2015 08:21:52    1771751

I know guys very close to the Tipp hurling set up and they themselves agree that Tipp are "too nice", I am not slagging Tipp coz I well know that Cork are even "nicer". Tipp have a team of great hurlers, I genuinely thought that they would win this year's All Ireland but they have come up short again. Yes they only lost by a point in a classic game but the reality is Galway should and would have won by more only for a one man act of defiance.
I am distraught at the state of Cork hurling but at least we deserve nothing, if I was a Tipp man I'd crack up altogether. Since the end of the Golden era of Tipp hurling in the mid sixties, Tipp have won 5 All Irelands in the last 50 years, compared to 21 in previous 78. I have lived in Tipp for more then 30 years and seen a succession of very decent teams come up short. If it's true that Lar owned up to getting last touch of the ball and was instrumental in getting the seventy decision reversed in the dying minutes then it says it all for me.

corkcelt (Cork) - Posts: 4388 - 18/08/2015 08:22:37    1771752

I know guys very close to the Tipp hurling set up and they themselves agree that Tipp are "too nice", I am not slagging Tipp coz I well know that Cork are even "nicer".

A great point but is that down to the rules?

I can remember clashes between Limerick & Cork going back only 14 or 15 years where skin & hair would fly. I remember TJ playing full back marking Joe Deane and roughing him up at every opportunity. I remember him giving John Gardiner plenty of it. There was Diarmuid O'Sullivan bulldozing Jack Foley and scoring a point from him own 40, 21, 14, goal line (distance gets longer as the years pass!!).

But the rule changes altered the game so much that every player now is watching himself as soon as he is on a yellow. For Tipperary it might be selection policy, who knows. But the current team is nothing like the teams from 87-93 where Cormac Bonnar would frighten you by looking at you, not to mind contesting a ball with him. As a parent I've no problem with the changes as I would prefer kids not to be facing swords under a high ball, but the game has changed.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 18/08/2015 08:43:17    1771765