Tipp will look to limit the space and disrupt Cork

RTÉ News​

19-07-2025

Restricting the size of the Croke Park pitch and making it a dogfight is what Tipperary should strive to do to limit Cork's goalscoring threat in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC final, according to Jackie Tyrrell and Brendan Cummins.
So far in this championship the Rebels have rattled the net 18 times, with seven of those green flags coming against Dublin in the semi-final. Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes rarely need to be asked twice when presented with that chance to add a three-pointer to their side's haul.
Cork, who lost out after extra-time in last year's decider against Clare, are favoured to go one better against a Tipp outfit who, somewhat against the odds, have reached this stage. In getting an assessment as to how Sunday's showpiece event will unfold most would agree that Cork will look for a fast start, will try to go for the jugular early doors, while also accepting that if the Premier are still in it going down the stretch, then they will have a great chance.
On the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, Tyrrell spoke about how dangerous Cork are if allowed the space to weave their magic. Tipperary must have a plan to limit their obvious threats.
"Cork are lethal in space, so how Tipp negate that space in how they set up and what are that match-ups will be really, really crucial," said the Kilkenny All-Ireland winner.
So what approach should the Tipp management take to prevent Cork from making the early running and finding pathways for goals?
"If I was Tipp and Liam Cahill I would probably concede the puck-outs," Tyrell outlined.
"If you let space into this Cork forward line, Brian Hayes will run riot; Shane Barrett will get on to the breaks, they'll go long with the puck-outs and he'll be on the edge of the square, you can only hold off the water for so long. Eventually the seams will burst.
"If I was Liam Cahill I would leave Ronan Maher on the edge of the square, have Eoghan Connolly at 6 and drop it really deep. I would go in at half-time trying to keep the score down.
"If you conceded a goal fair enough but if you go in three or four down at the break, you're in the game. They then have a chance and that is so crucial for Tipp. You have the Tipp crowd still in the game and the 'Tip, Tipp, Tipp' comes. Then you have Noel McGrath to come in, Alan Tynon to come in and potentially Darragh Stakelum.
"For Tipp's belief to really build they need to stay in the game for as long as possible.
"Cork will look to go for the throat early, get those early goals and kill Tipp off. Tipp should be looking for a dogfight. Do you what you did against Kilkenny when they played really smart against an extra man. I looked back at that game and it was like there was no space in that Kilkenny forward line. Now Kilkenny suited them because they bunched it.
"Tipp are really good at turning the ball over and working it up. In John McGrath and Jason Forde they have lads that can get scores where they don't need a lot of space. They are not relying on their pace, they are relying on their smart hurling IQ, their brilliant wrists and deadly finishers. They don't play the same game as the likes of Shane Barrett."
The conventional lines of play on the hurling field and the adherence to same is what suit the Cork gameplan, in that it allows there inside forward line to flourish, with Cummins, also speaking on the podcast, stating: "For me when you're playing it's who dictates the field for a lot of time will win the match."
Pretty logical and straightforward. Having the requisite space is key, with Cummins adding: "What Cork are doing is playing 3x3 inside, that's six players plus the goalie, that's seven players. If you do the same up the other end that's another seven.
"So we have 14 players playing inside the 21 on both sides of the pitch. From the edge of the 'D' on one side, the old-fashioned football 'D', to the edge of the 'D' on the other, you then have 8v8 and that's exactly what Cork want.
"That's why they have the three boys in there, in that full-forward line because they don't want bodies between the edge of the 'D' on one 'D' and the other. They want to keep as much space in there."
Tipperary then will have to cut out the supply of ball going in to Cork's lethal front three. The former Premier netminder and two-time Liam MacCarthy hero believes the current side have the smarts to frustrate the Rebels' route to goal.
He explained: "The reason Cork have been getting goals so early is that when the ball is thrown in you have to start with six forwards and six backs on each side of the pitch. The three Cork inside forwards once the game is on will then stand on the end line so they create a huge gap between the half-forward and full-forward lines.
"If the ball goes in there's a 3x3 straight away. From that throw-in, Tipperary, I expect, will keep two inside with one coming out which will allow one to drop. Now that won't mean seven backs by any manner of means but that hurling IQ which we did not see from Dublin, we'll definitely see it from Tipp, from Alan Connolly, Ronan Maher and Brian O'Meara and those lads.
"If they are standing by themselves 60 yards from the Tipp goal, then they'll be skedaddling back right back to the edge of the 'D', standing in front of Hayes - and that is what could mess up Cork because they will blindly hit the ball in under pressure, the Tipp forwards will do it to them.
"Somebody will be there to sweep it up which they would not be accustomed to if they don't get it in quick enough and then the oohs and aahs will start. Tipperary will be deep and they can then start to work the ball out and be well set to attack as a result."