MUNSTER SHC FIRST ROUND:LIAM SHEEDY appears to be adopting a very simple strategy for Sunday's Munster hurling quarter-final against Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh: There's the field, there's the posts, and here's your stick. Now go out and play.
It shouldn’t make the slightest difference whether that field is in Cork or in Tipperary.
Actually, it sometimes does – and Sheedy will be aware that Tipperary have struggled to beat Cork on their own turf.
Two years ago, they went down to Páirc Uí Chaoimh and beat Cork in the Munster hurling championship for the first time in 85 years. Now they return on Sunday looking to do likewise for the second time in three years.
Listening to centre back Conor O’Mahony, it’s obvious what the Tipperary manager has been telling his team in recent weeks.
O’Mahony claims he actually likes playing in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, that it suits him fine, that maybe Cork actually prefer playing in Thurles.
All part of the mind games, no doubt.
“Every player is different but I like playing in Páirc Uí Chaoimh,” O’Mahony says. “Talking to a lot of the Cork lads, they love playing in Thurles. Of course, if you come out and see a sea of red that’s one thing. Or see a sea of blue and gold that’s another. But it’s not a huge factor to be playing in Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Thurles. It’s all the one to me.
“At the end of the day it is a field with four white lines and two sets of goalposts. It’s just what every child dreams of, playing in front of a packed house. We have never had any complaints with Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“There is probably a bit more atmosphere there too, the crowd are that bit louder, and maybe you can hear them more than in Thurles. It is a fantastic stadium and we are delighted to be playing below there.”
What is certain is the Tipperary-Cork rivalry is the thickest in Munster hurling. Sunday marks their 80th championship clash in total, stretching back to 1888 – with Cork only ahead by the minimum, 36 wins to Tipperary’s 35 (there were also seven draws, and one abandoned).
Tipperary have had the edge in recent seasons, winning the meetings over the last three years – and will start on Sunday as marginal favourites.
O’Mahony, however, is quick to throw expectations on Cork, recalling the fact they made it to a league final, not Tipperary: “Cork have been very impressive so far this year. Cork and Galway have been the two form teams coming into the championship. They have the two, twin towers, or whatever they are called.
“They have a few new lads, the likes Patrick Horgan really stepping up to the mark. They still have Ben and Jerry O’Connor and Seán Óg (Ó hAilpín). All those lads are fantastic hurlers. We know it is going to be a huge test for us down there.”
Now in his fifth season as first choice centre back, O’Mahony is experienced enough to defer all thoughts of the Munster semi-final on June 20th, where that notably weakened Limerick team lie waiting in the short grass.
“To be perfectly honest, all our focus is on Cork,” he says. “We haven’t ever looked beyond that. We know that if it is going to be a huge battle against Cork and if we can get out of that then we will worry about Limerick. But for now our total focus is on Cork.”
Ultimately, what will be driving Tipperary on Sunday and for the rest of the summer will be thought of getting back into the All-Ireland final, to make amends for last year’s narrow defeat to Kilkenny.
“It is a long, hard road to get there. Like any other team that loses an All-Ireland final you are devastated for a few weeks, but you try to get over it. That is life and that is sport. You have to get back up the ladder again.
“It was devastating, but that is sport and you have to get on with it. Every game that is played the team that loses always has ‘what ifs’. There is no point in going on about it.
“It happened on that day, we had chances to win it and we didn’t take them. It is up to the players to redeem themselves now.”
Redemption begins on Sunday.
