Tipperary have tonight named their starting fifteen and subs for Sunday’s All-Ireland football semi-final against our lads at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm). Here’s the match day panel they’ve named:
Tipperary (All-Ireland SFC semi-final v Mayo, 6/11/2020): Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan); Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Robbie Kiely (Barryroe); Steven O’Brien (Ballina), Liam Casey (Cahir); Colin O’Riordan (Killea), Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials), Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials); Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen, captain), Colman Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials). Subs: Michael O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials), Tadhg Fitzgerald (Moyle Rovers), Dáire Brennan (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch), Padraic Looram (Clonmel Commercials), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Philip Austin (Borrisokane), Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers).
Unsurprisingly, the Premier County have opted to name the same team that started against Cork in that historic Munster final a fortnight ago. Jack Kennedy is added to their list of substitutes for Croke Park.
We’ll be lucky to keep the ball kicked out to them according to some of the radio pundits.
We might score a point early on but from the resultant kick out we won’t ever get the ball back as we have no midfielders.
Sure with Covid at least we don’t have to waste our time travelling up and buying tickets and all that.
Maybe next year
Lets enjoy the game and believe!
We didn’t travel up and down the country just because we wanted places to go.
We traveled because we believed or wanted to believe. Sometimes we expected too much
and sometimes we got more that we expected. But all I know is that the Mayo team gave me
great entertainment for many years. There were disappointments too but I still had a great day out.
So lets just enjoy Sunday. I think it is great that Tipperary are talked up. And if they were playing
any team but us, I would want them to win. But they are playing us.
So despite all my promises of never getting excited again about football, I will be there in front of the telly on Sunday, as sick as a parrot until I know we are home…but in those two hours I was alive! Alive with emotion, pain, fear, joy and hopefully pride and satisfaction.
Well said Breege Loftus
Breege loftus no truer words were spoken. Iif we could only bottle them fellings and emotions during a game them would sustain us for many a year. Who would swap it?
If we’ve the work done and our game plan beds in then we’ll rightly come through this match. But it will be tough, especially seeing the Tipp team named above. There’s so much quality there.
There’s definitely a lot of belief down south and I agree that they’ve absolutely no fear of us, and sure why would they? We’ll never get respect until we win the All Ireland, and at the moment there’s no doubt we’re in transition so they’ll fancy a right cut.
Our fitness and intensity should see us through, especially in Croker, but I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if Tipp win.
Breege Loftus I thought I was the only one mad enough to go through all of the emotions you describe so well.
Best of luck to all our lads on Sunday
Mayo Abu.
Breege Loftus Well said.Alive and watching Mayo and feeling such great emotion. What more could anyone ask for. Looking forward so much to the game. We know we are favourites. We know most people love underdogs hence the affinity with Tipp. No issue there. I am delighted to see them in semi final but I am even more delighted to see our county in their ninth semi final in ten years. Maigh Eo Abu always and forever.
Nervous ? No.
Over Confident ? No
Excited ? Definitely.
We’re heading to Croke Park with
The Championships all time leading scorer.
His brother. Former young player of the year.
Lee. Former player if the year.
Eoghan MC. Running for young player of the year.
Paddy. Surely in the running for this year’s player of the year.
Tommy Conroy. Accelerated lightening.
Aidan O’Shea. As majestic on the ball as he is big.
Connor and Mattie. Redefining midfield and proving that it’s what you can do with the ball on the ground that matters. You cannot do much with the ball high in the air.
Stephen Coen. Nuclear engine.
Oisin. Energiser bunny that won’t quit.
Chris. You can break rocks off him.
Kevin. One of Mayo’s best ever.
Clarke. Could save BB pellets at night time.
James Carr. The Ardagh Chalice.
Ryan. Finding his feet and fast.
Fionn. Locked and loaded. Ready to go.
That’s not them all but I am so excited about this bunch of players and quite frankly while Tipp have players that can shoot some outrageous points I wouldn’t swap any of our lads for the Tipp team.
That’s why I’m excited for Sunday. If our lads click on Sunday I think we could see something special.
Like someone said earlier, if it wasnt Tipp I would be roaring Tipp on but we know ourselves how difficult it is to get to AI finals.
Sunday is no day to get nervous.
Bring it on.
In the Irish examiner podcast linked on the previous page, I like how Rochy cites Chris Barrett’s strength, how the Belmullet man always fares well even if theres a height disadvantage, by going, for instance, hip-to-hip with his opponent. This is always so noticeable, especially if you’re at the match in person. Awesome strength and we’re blessed to have him this year. So comfortable on the ball too.
What a great full back line we have in Chris, Leeroy and Oisin. Class.
Breege Loftus, its great to number you as one of us, What a supporter. A pure credit,
And Revelino, you’ve excelled yourself again, and aren’t we loving it, Thank you.
Tipp really been talked up suits us perfectly. I’ve no doubt James will have the boys tuned in, and concentrating on deleivering our best performance possible. We are a top 4 sometimes top 2 team for the last decade, lets show it now on Sunday and get the job done.
Breege Liftus!!!!!
Best post I seen in a while Breege!!
We’re two games from Sam. Coming into the semi final fresh from three weeks off, with no new injuries picked up over the Championship. A team that’s looking fresh and full of running, with options both old and new off the bench. A dangerous team await tomorrow, but not one we should have any hang ups about. The five in a row team on the other side of the draw are under new management and have not been tested yet.
We are in a good place, certainly in comparison to the run up to the semi final last year. As other posters have said, let’s enjoy the ride and see where it takes us.
Top have front loaded the height unless Riordan moves to midfield but leaving him HF risks handing us MF, an area Tipp needs to do well in.
Their big 3 plus Kiely would probably make any team but after that there’s a gap. Keep 2 of those 4 quiet and we probably win. None of those 4 is as dangerous as an in form Shane Walsh who showed all the skills vs us but still only 3 from play. Keep Quinlivan and Sweeney to 5 or 6 between them from play and we probably win.
One concern I have is the team picked. The Conor Loftus midfield experiment likely to eventually backfire not because he isn’t a good player but because midfield is where big players are most needed. If we were to use less big men there, it should be Kevin Mc, Leroy or P Durcan all of whom can seriously put the opposition on the back foot. If Horan wants to stick with Aido inside, the obvious solution is bring Diarmaid out or else keep interchanging him with Conor for kickouts etc. to free up the space needed to be a playmaker. Besides that team choice, I think Stephen Coen needs to be on one of their taller forwards as we have very few backs over 6 ft (Mullen is about 6 ft and could be tasked with Sweeney).
Well said Breege and Revelino,
We travel in our minds to CP on Sunday alto in front of telly, and we believe like our great players we will win.
Best of luck to all the team and management on Sunday. Know that we are with ye all the way because we are still ‘In This Together in 2020’
Most Mayo people feeling well articulated by Breege, well done…
Revellino .. when ya put it that way ?
Willie Joe and team.. As always thanks for this platform to keep up with the crack
Well said Breege Loftus your words bring
a tear to my eye remembering all those
great days from our team in croker
now here we go again, we can do this
Maigh Eo Abu
Mayo by 6
Not nervous
Same as last time we met them in a semi
We are a better team than them end of story
Agreed KM79
Take care of quinlivan and sweeney and the rest will take care of itself. That’s not to say they don’t have other good players, they do, but those 2 are their biggest scorers
Some great posts on here as always.
I do be often daydreaming about those 5 or 10 minute spells in All Ireland finals against Dublin where we tackled everything,caught everything, won the 30/70 ball we had no right to, cleaned out Cluxtons kickouts, the half back line were flying, we kicked points from everywhere.
Alas we came short but those little spells would have you hooked forever.
Tipp have nothing to lose tomorrow. We know their dangermen and must get our match ups right.
I expect us to get through but only after a battle.
Hoping we get a big impact from the bench. Our lack of this in previous seasons put us at a real disadvantage in the last 15 mins of some very big games. Horan has used a lot of lads this year (he had to) but none have had enough time to really cement themselves…the positive from this is it gives us more options but with lads who might not have much game time or any real form… carr, flynn, mcdonagh, moran, Boyle, Higgins.
Such a massive day and massive challenge for the likes of Ryan odonoghue, Tommy conroy, eoghan mclaughlin, oisin mullin. Those 4 in particular. In Croker, AI semi final. Stakes couldn’t be higher.
Best of luck to Mayo tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
Feeling very confident of a win in this one. Not trying to be disrespectful to Tipp, just basing this on what I’ve seen of them so far this year.
I was watching the Tipp Limerick game a few weeks back, and if you would have told me then that Tipp would be all that would be standing in our way of making the final, I would have bitten your hand off.
Now Tipp have definitely improved since then, but they beat a woeful Cork side and should hold no fears for us.
The fact they like to play an open game also suits us, its defensive teams we tend to struggle against.
Barring a huge malfunction in front of the posts (think Roscommon last year), we should win this one by 6 or 7.
Lets’ face it, Cavan haven’t a chance in the other semi. A big win for the Dubs in a no-contest type game will suit us down to the ground. Dublin will be undercooked going into the final and then it’s time to unleash hell on them.
I wish I were as relaxed as you, Km79! While I do think we’ll win I also think this one is no gimme at all, and I think Tipp will push us all the way. I expect O’Riordan to play out of his skin, serious pro footballer, and anyone could see after the Munster final what it means to him to play for Tipperary. He’s only there by the chance of COVID, and he knows this could be the last championship match he ever plays. I think he’ll be a right handful, whoever is taking care of him, and also that the Tipp team as a whole will still be well pumped by their Cosmic Connection to 1920 and all. But I think we have more class in depth, and better conditioning across the field, which I think will stand to us in the end. God, I can’t wait.
In the other match, I really hope that Cavan just go at the Dubs bald-headed, it would be so depressing if get bet out the gate. And maybe by some miracle come Monday morning we could be looking forward to revenge for ’48, surely our most gut-wrenching AI defeat of them all…
Wind up as much as possible re o Riordan, hes too emotional , all kinds of ways tapping into that
Keeping the subs warm tomorrow will be a challenge with predicted temperature of 2 degrees, need them flying when they come on, not taking 10 mins to get to the pitch with tight muscles. Managers should be sending them out a few times during the game or exercise bikes like the rugby teams, maybe Andy could loan them a few for the day.
Ps when the hell is the Mayo team being named?
I wouldn’t say O’ Riordan is too emotional Sean Burke, sounds like he’ll give his last drop of effort to his team, every team could do with players like that.
Errisinlondon if playing for Tipp meant so much to O’Riordan then he wouldn’t have stayed in Oz as long as he has. He made a choice and fair play to him but surely the likes of sweeney and quinlivan deserve more credit. O’Riordan came home, took a committed players jersey and helped the team over the line in the Munster final. And when it’s all over he’ll head back to Oz rather than helping Tipp push on in the years ahead.
Reminds me a bit of Stephen o’neill Coming out of retirement just before the 2008 AI final to help tyrone over the line. Fair play they both took their chance and management definitely play a hand in it but I’m sure there are players in both the Tyrone and Tipp panels a bit bitter about it
O Riordan just thrilled to be playing for Tipp All were emotional after beating Cork and winning Munster for first time in 85 years.If he was over emotional I doubt if he would survive in Aussie Rules.Was a super under age player and astonishing that he could perform like that having been away for over 4 years Was hoping we might have got a similar bounce from our returned Aussie but unfortunately it hasn’t turned out that way yet
Fair point, Our time has come, and I agree with you about how I’d feel if I were the Tipp player left sitting on the bench.
I guess what I was trying to get at was that he must have thought he’d already chosen his road once and for all Down Under (and that must be a tough choice, heart vs head, for any young player with a bright intercounty future set against a lucrative professional career, especially those from a county with no realistic prospect of an AI), and then out of the blue because of the pandemic, he gets another chance with Tipp he would never have expected, a Munster medal and a wee spot in history to go with it, and the chance to kick on for a place in the AI. And I think the very fact he’ll be off straight back off to Oz again makes him more dangerous, he knows his GAA career effectively boils down to this unexpected campaign.
Put Diarmuid or Aidan on him for a bit, sort him out 🙂
I don’t think a pro like O’Riordan will be wound up easy! Agree with to win just once, couldnt beileve how natural he looked in Munster final. When Cian Hanley came back he looked every bit a fish out of water, not sure if Cian even played many games over there….makes O’Riordans performance even more impressive.
The point is on being over emotional like it’s a weakness. Rather have passionate players on the team than lads who can’t raise a head of steam. Think of John Mullane or Davie Fitz in hurling, does anyone think they’re too emotional?
I thought Cian Hanley was sensational for Ballaghaderreen in county championship. If he can’t get in it says something about the competition.
I actually see us beating tipp by a wider margin than dublin will beat cavan. Far more impressed with cavans win over donegal than tipps win in an error strewn munster final win over cork. Dublin, cavan and Mayo just operating at a far higher level than tipp. Think tipp are overated and cavan underrated.
So Dublin to go into final battle hardened, while we’ll be wondering how the hell we got there with a team in transition so easily.
The papers are calling this close.
I just hope Mayo bring the right intensity. All the talk is that this is a “great opportunity” for Tipp. We should be absolutely gunning tomorrow.
Mayo, be Fierce.
Still no team sheet from Mayo.
‘Ah now’ – you shouldn’t be torturing yourself with thoughts like that. I hope what you are saying doesn’t come to pass!
What “Dan’ said earlier should cheer you up. He is expecting Dublin to arrive in the final undercooked and find a mayo team ready and waiting to unlease hell, fire and fury on them.
I”m just hoping we get through sunday without injury or, god forbid, a sending off of any player. I haven’t seen the likes of COC playing so well for years but the dream is over if he gets grounded for the final. We actually cannot afford to lose any player at this stage.
How come to team named yet
Fair play to Kevin McStay, no gloves required!
One prediction for tomorrow: Tom Parsons to start in MF. Conor Loftus to move into the HF line.
When is James announcing the 4th secret of Fatima.
Ya wondering what is the story with no team announcement?
The Dublin team was only named a few hours before throw in. Everyone calm down. Itl be the same team named as the last day out. Ciaran Mac isn’t making a comeback and named in the forward line.
There must be some changes coming!
No team announced yet.
Very unusual for James Horan
Ciaran mac could probably still offer 10 mins as an impact sub…..a blond haired jesus!!!
Ya id still give him a few mins for the long range potential pullhard.
Cavan are doing very well on their own kickouts
Mayo team named and unchanged from Connacht final
Thought so. Anyone expecting wholesale changes at this stage of the season is way off. Hel stick with what has got us this far.
Love that Breege and Revellino.
The London Eye.
If I wasn’t torturing myself before, I certainly am now. Dublin awesome.
Agree we can’t afford any injuries tomorrow and that’s just to get within an asses roar of the dubs.