FORMER KILKENNY STAR Henry Shefflin has compared the strength in depth of the Tipperary hurlers to the all-conquering Dublin footballers.
The ten-time All-Ireland winner, speaking on RTÉ’s Allianz League Sunday, believes that the Premier County are hellbent on retaining the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year, and winning back-to-back crowns for the first time since the 1964/65.
Tipp are off a flyer in Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League, as they chase a first competition win since 2008.
And even without marquee forward Seamus Callanan on Sunday, the hosts racked up 28 points and won by seven against Clare at Semple Stadium.
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Shefflin said: “That started last September, they were talking about next year already at an early stage.
“They’ve learned an awful lot of lessons from the last time this happened (2010).
“We were looking at the Dublin footballers in the previous part of the show and Tipp remind me of that, their strength in depth.
“No ‘Bonner’ Maher, Seamus Callanan, James Barry, Darren Gleeson, the players they can bring in, they’re building a massive panel.
“They’re the highest scoring team in the division, averaging 25 points per game and they have oceans of talented players.
They’re very focused, the experience (of 2010), which is seven years ago at this stage, is definitely standing to them. They really have set out a stall, they do want to make a mark this year and try to do back-to-back.
“They’ve started the year very well and it makes for a very interesting game next weekend.”
Tipperary welcome Kilkenny to Semple Stadium next Saturday evening (7pm) for the first competitive meeting between the counties since last year’s All-Ireland final.
And former Clare and Dublin manager Anthony Daly says that Tipp’s strength in depth is reaching “scary” levels.
“They have an awful lot of options. To be in Walsh Park (against Waterford) a couple of weeks ago and see the five players they brought on, regulars, and leave Ronan Maher sitting down, that’s scary for everyone else. It’s getting scary, the depth that is there.”
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Hard to be much worse than last season, but it there merit on focusing entirely on youth when U21′s and minors have been so poor in recent years.
This years minor team lost by 5 points to all Ireland champions Tipperary. This was closer than any team got to tipp this year and Cork were 6 points up at one stage of the 2nd half.
Closer than the Waterford team that beat Tipp?
@Stephen Casey: that was u21
Both Sean.
http://munster.gaa.ie/fixtures/minor/
The Waterford team that were beaten by cork in the 1st round
Yes they were. Cork had a good minor team this year. But to say they came closer to Tipp than a team that beat Tipp is incorrect.
Surely brosnan and moylan will be involved when there involvement with the glen is finished
Not arguing that there aren’t some talented young hurlers in Cork, things can’t be that bad, but given the lack of success at underage for an extended period it seems unlikely there are bunch coming through to revive the senior team. Just seems like some managers do out of desperation and an easy answer, just bringing some young lads onto a sinking ship won’t do them any good.
So, basically he’s getting his young lad on the team!
His young lad who’s widely considered one of the best young hurlers in Cork….
His young lad I have seen since u 14. A very good talent
His young lad is a serious talent.
Pa Callaghan is the fella he should be after…
Ye a very good player and putting him senior can bring him on more look forward to seeing him in the league
@John S: @John S Truth the last thing we need now is nepotism further hurting our chances of becoming a side that can even be competitive with the likes of the top tier teams such as Wexford and Clare.
From what I seen of him last year I taught Cronin was a good player
@ John S. – to be fair to him, shane Kingston is a handy enough hurler; he hasn’t come out of nowhere & is there on merit. Plenty of younger players from the Dev squad – time will tell
Pa O’Callaghan should be in there…refusing the invite again, what his beef i wonder?
Pa callaghan is a good prospect
Pa callaghan much better