GAELIC GAMES:LAR CORBETT has become a master of deflection. The more goals he scores, the easier he finds it to explain them away as arbitrary breaks which happened to him rather than scores he made. His goal against Dublin will hardly make the highlights reel of his career in years to come but, as ever, he had the speed and persistence to make sure he was in the right place at the right time.
“It was a long ball in and I can’t remember who sent it in,” he said yesterday, looking lonely in front of a big press table until Declan Ryan came into the room.
“It was a lucky break really the way it skidded off the turf but I got a lucky touch on it. I thought it was gone wide. It was great to get a start like it. But Dublin would have said at half-time that they won the fight and we had to ask questions of ourselves. It just goes to show how tough Dublin are. We have an awful lot of work to do to put it up to Kilkenny because a performance like that . . . Kilkenny would have you blown out of the water by half-time. But I am just delighted that we got the win.”
Corbett repeatedly referred to the general expectation that Tipperary would saunter to a win here and there was a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.
The game was defined by the intensity of the local team and, if they tired in the last 10 minutes, Dublin’s effort never flagged. Confining Tipperary to just that early goal was an achievement.
“It was down to Dublin’s work rate. It was the most physical challenge that we had all year and we couldn’t get the supply in. You have to give credit to Dublin for how far they have come and the next time we come to Croke Park to play Dublin, people at home won’t be saying it’s an easy challenge.”
The transition from Liam Sheedy’s triumphant final year in charge and Declan Ryan’s first term has been smooth. The Munster championship won and passage to the final safely negotiated. Ryan was unsurprised by the physical nature of the game and rejected the idea that the pre-match talk of a Kilkenny-Tipperary final had affected their preparation.
“Well, we weren’t talking about anything within the camp only the Dublin game. There was a lot of talk outside the camp and maybe that had some influence but I don’t want to take anything from Dublin because their attitude and commitment today was savage. You wouldn’t expect anything else from a team prepared by Anthony Daly. He was a tough player himself in his own day.
“Dublin showed that they are not only a physical team, they are a very competitive team. And they are able to hurl as well – they got some lovely points out there. So I think full credit to Dublin for their performance. They were very tough.”
Last September, Tipperary prepared for the All-Ireland final with the fearless intensity of challengers who had been convinced of their worth.
Their performance that day was a coup de force. Now, the trick is to return as champions and repeat that kind of performance. Ryan has been low-key and assured all year and seemed as relaxed as ever as he considered the possibilities of an All-Ireland final that seems weighted with future significance for both counties.
“I haven’t given any thought to it. All the focus was on Dublin. But I am sure it will be a huge battle. Kilkenny and Tipp – there has been a good rivalry over the past few years and I am sure the final will be no different. Like today, it will be a very physical game. Both teams know each other very well and there are a few things to work on from a Tipperary point of view anyway.
“I don’t think Kilkenny will be too worried by anything they saw in this game. It was dour enough at times and very physical and a good number of frees scored. But I think both Kilkenny and Tipperary have a bit to do over the next three weeks.”
