TIPPERARY SEEM TO be in confident mood ahead of their All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Kilkenny on Sunday.

And Padraic Maher is one player who certainly believes they are more than capable of defeating a side that have delivered some less-than-vintage performances this year.

“We know we are as good as them,” he says. “If we can get the performance next Sunday, we’ll have a great chance.”

Though while Kilkenny have often failed to convince in recent times, there is a possible extra motivating factor in beating Tipperary – a chance at redemption, as they would then meet Galway in the All-Ireland final, who caused a considerable upset by defeating the Cats in the Leinster Final earlier in the summer.

However, Maher believes that this prospective opportunity to seek revenge on Galway will have little significance on Sunday.

“I don’t think Kilkenny need motivation no matter who they are playing – they want to get back to the final, especially after losing the Leinster final. They want to get things right again and get back to where they think they should be, but we have our own agenda as well, and we want to be in the final as much as they do. We are going to be trying our hardest. We have had a good five weeks training and we are looking forward to it now.”

And Maher adds that his side are unlikely to become overly fixated with emulating the style of play that brought Galway so much success against Kilkenny.

“The way Tipp-Kilkenny games have gone over the years they take on a life of their own kind of,” he says. “Galway had their own way of playing against Kilkenny and it worked, Jesus it worked brilliantly and was there for everyone to see. But we’ll go in and concentrate on our own game, and we are confident that, in our way of playing, we’ll do the job on Sunday.”

And while he is eager to highlight the different circumstances between this Sunday and the Kilkenny-Galway encounter, he does suggest there is a certain way to play against the Cats that can prove fruitful.

“Galway showed in the Leinster final this year that you have to beat their intensity levels and be at them all over the field. We’ll have to do something similar – bring the intensity, the physicality and hopefully the hurling will back that all up again and please God, [we'll] come out with the victory.”

Of course, Tipperary have achieved such a feat already in their 2010 All-Ireland final defeat of Kilkenny, during which they played with a level of intensity that Maher admits the side have failed to match ever since.

And he acknowledges that this year, it is likely to be tougher than ever to repeat their 2010 triumph.

“I know Galway brought great intensity and Kilkenny have raised the bar the last few years. We managed to do it in 2010, but Kilkenny managed to do it again last year. Galway are bringing it up even more. Kilkenny will think they are the kingpins over the last few years, and will want to get back up to the highest level again, so they improved against Limerick the last day and they will improve again and it will stand to them, and it is up to us to meet their challenge head on and try to drive on ourselves.”

Consequently, with all three teams appearing to be legitimate contenders to win the All-Ireland, it is likely to be a highly fascinating climax to this year’s Championship, adding to what has already been a memorable summer for Irish sport in general.

“There is a  great buzz around Irish sport with the boxing, McIlroy and the GAA has been going well, and especially the hurling. I think the games have nearly all been tight and entertaining, and the Leinster final has been a change. It’s all on an upward curve, and hopefully Sunday [is] no different.”

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