How will Tipperary handle the Galway Glynn colossus in Croke Park next Sunday?

JOHNNY GLYNN’S ATTACKING threat for Galway was well advertised in their quarter-final destruction of Cork.

Glynn fired 1-2 and was central to Galway’s comfortable win but next Sunday’s semi-final opponents have their own personal experience of the Ardrahan man to draw on.

Tipperary’s 2014 season swerved on to a different course when they came back from six points down to see off Galway in last July’s qualifier in Thurles.

The perilous situation they found themselves in was largely down to the havoc that Glynn caused in that game when he smashed home two second-half goals.

Padraic Maher struggled to contain Glynn when he was at the edge of the square in that game. His switch with James Barry was key to Tipperary’s defence regaining a foothold in that game.

James Barry celebrates after Tipperary's Munster hurling final win. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

But how will Tipperary handle him next Sunday?

“I think you’ve got to accept that Johnny Glynn is going to catch the ball,” says former Tipperary star Nicky English.

“You’ve got to be prepared for the second phase. You can’t be disappointed if the catches the ball as his direct opponent because that’s what he does. You’ve got to stop him from thereafter I think.

I don’t expect Johnny Glynn will play full-forward. They switch around anyway. Tipp have got to be prepared for Galway winning ball in the forward line.

“They’ve become very good ball winners, (Cyril) Donnellan and Johnny Glynn. Tipp have to be able to deal with them.

Galway's Cyril Donnellan Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

“As Kilkenny did in the Leinster final, Johnny Glynn caught ball early but they were able to get players around him and that’s probably the key.

“He’s a phenomenal athlete and a phenomenal player, especially after the last day, his confidence will be even higher.”

English feels Galway come into this game with a greater array of attacking weapons in their arsenal.

“They didn’t do (it) in the Leinster final. You’d say that was the day, sure Jason Flynn didn’t play, he was injured and Cathal Mannion was taken off. David Burke was taken off.

Joe Canning celebrates his goal against Kilkenny in the Leinster final. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

“That day came very much back to the Joe Canning show, if Joe Canning wasn’t going to score in the Leinster final, they weren’t going to get those scores.

Glynn and Donnellan were winning the ball but they weren’t necessarily scoring.

“But the last day, everyone scored and in that frame – obviously you’d have to question Cork – but I’ve no doubt that Galway will play well. I think consistency is not going to be an issue this year.”

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