The first Sunday in September looms large and with 82,500 set to pack Croke Park for the first All-Ireland SHC Final between Kilkenny and Tipperary since 1991 - the excitement is certainly building. Current Tipperary captain Willie Ryan was only six years old back then, but he knows the legacy that's to be followed if he is to pick up Liam MacCarthy this weekend. Those who have ever travelled on the N7 between Dublin and Limerick will be familiar with the neatly kept town of Toomevara nestled in Tipperary. One of the GAA's oldest clubs having been founded in 1885, the club is fondly known as 'The Greyhounds' and it isn't hard to find the reason why. Over the years many hurlers who have donned the Green and Gold at St Michael's Park and indeed in other GAA pitches dotted across not just Tipperary, but indeed further afield; have gone on to represent The Premier County with great success. The club has captured 22 Tipperary SHC's and three Munster crowns - the next generation of players such as Benny Dunne, John O'Brien and Willie Ryan have certainly been leading the charge to Tipperary's first All-Ireland decider since 2001 - with such speed, agility and accuracy that is a trademark of any Greyhound! Tipperary's captain Willie Ryan turns 25 on December 29th - a birthday just far enough from Christmas day to ensure he is showered with more presents. For a county that calls itself 'the Home of Hurling' the gifts haven't been coming in abundance to Tipperary Senior's in recent years, but it's something Ryan and his colleagues will be hoping to rectify and bring home a first All-Ireland title since 2001 this weekend. Ryan says that the atmosphere in Tipperary has greatly intensified as the build-up to the All-Ireland final reaches into its final days. "The atmosphere has been building greatly over the last number of weeks towards Sunday," he said. And Ryan is thankful of the support his team are getting, but is also mindful that as players they can't afford to get caught up in the wave of hype and euphoria in the county at present. "It's great to see the flags and bunting out as it had been quiet for a week or two with club games taking over. But the players have to step aside from that and just focus on the job at hand and that's getting ready for the All-Ireland and hopefully putting in a good performance." It has been a very strange year for players captaining teams, and Ryan has found himself in that rocky boat. Where previously players who captained any team were almost guaranteed of their place in the starting 15, and indeed usually only absent from a starting line-up because of injury; it's a totally different story now. Both Ryan and his Kilkenny counterpart Michael Fennelly have found it hard to make their respective starting line-up's this year, with competition for starting roles extremely intense. Ryan came on in the 53rd minute against Clare; as a half-time substitute in the Munster Final; a 67th minute replacement for Lar Corbett last time out against Limerick - indeed he hasn't started a Championship game this year. Certainly a strange predicament to be in - Willie takes up the story. "It is very difficult to get onto the starting 15 this year more than ever. We have had such a settled starting team," he said. And the 24-year old isn't expecting a starting berth this weekend. "I suppose going forward for the next day the team isn't likely to change anyway, bar God forbid an injury. When you are not playing you have to put in the effort at training and hopefully be in the top five. He added, "There is 35 players there and everyone is chomping at the bit to get on the field and have a piece of the action." Aside from Kilkenny, many would point to Tipperary as the form team over the past two years. A Division 1 national league success in 2008 (which included victory over Kilkenny in the semi-final) was followed up with a Munster crown last year. 2009 also saw a league final appearance, with Kilkenny just pipping Tipperary after extra-time, and of course back-to-back provincial crowns were secured. Ryan says that there is a certain sense of inevitability about his county reaching this year's All-Ireland decider. "I suppose we have been built up a lot, and people are saying that we are the second best team. I don't know. We haven't really taken on what the media have been saying and we have been focussing on ourselves. This team has just been on an upward graph and we have been getting better as time goes on." A major factor in Tipperary's charge to this All-Ireland decider has been their manager Liam Sheedy. Ryan says that the settled approach he has fostered among the squad has worked wonders for Tipperary in the past two years. "I think everything has been settled - be it training, matches, the team. Everything has got more settled since Liam has taken over. I suppose people are more relaxed because of that going into games and maybe more confident of knowing that because of the ability we have, we can do the job at hand." Focussing on Kilkenny, Ryan is fully aware that his side won't have it all their way, as they did in the semi-final victory over Limerick. He expects just a couple of points to separate the sides at the full-time whistle, and is hopeful that the full-time score-line will reflect positively in Tipperary's favour. "They are going for four-in-a-row and that record speaks for itself. They are a fantastic outfit and they have blown teams aside. I suppose all we can do is go out to Croke Park on Sunday and put in a performance to the best of our ability. Hopefully we can match their intensity and their work-rate and who knows what will happen if we match them toe for toe, for 70 minutes." And Tipperary's lack of matching teams for 70 minutes is something which the pundits have come down heavily on the Premier County for this year. Big leads were annexed against both Clare and Waterford, yet Tipperary let both teams back into contention towards the end. However this was rectified last day out, with one of the most clinical performances ever witnessed at Croke Park - with a comprehensive win over Limerick. Ryan says that, that game showed the true character of his side, and also the tactical brilliance of the Tipperary management not to panic one bit - especially given the supposed 'non performance' of Lar Corbett who only 'kicked into action' after 56 minutes, and subsequently bagged a late hat-trick for his efforts. "It just shows that lads can do the job. There are no rash decisions being made and lads being taken off quickly if things aren't going well. Larry got going after 55 minutes and after 65 then he had 3-1 bagged. It just shows the ability that is there, and the ability that Larry has. Hopefully that our ability to close out games might come to the fore or whatever, but there won't be any closing out Kilkenny in an All-Ireland final. You'll have to go toe-for-toe with them and hopefully in front - there will be no big winning margins." On Sunday Ryan and his colleagues will be ready for Tipperary's first All-Ireland final since 2001 - a historic moment for many of the players including the Toomevara clubman who will line out in his first All-Ireland decider. It's a game he is eagerly looking forward to playing some role in, but is also keen to shield himself from the hype. "It is exciting, but you have to put it to one side as well. It is exciting for the people around you - your family and the club. But for us as players you just have to block it out. You have to just focus on what's at hand and for us that is the final training in the lead up to the game. That's where matches are won, inside in Thurles on a Tuesday or Thursday night and that's all we are focussing on." Tweet

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