PREVIEW: Form book goes out the window when Tipperary and Galway clash in knockout hurling!

There is a great sense of deja vú in the analysis of the huge crunch clash between Tipperary and Galway in Limerick this coming Saturday evening.

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Back in 2023, when the sides clashed in the last six clash in Limerick, there was an expectation that Tipperary were favourites to get the job done in Liam Cahill's first year at the wheel.

Tipperary had come from an awful campaign the previous year under the stewardship of Colm Bonner, managing to qualify from the round robin, missing out narrowly on a Munster final berth.

At that time, across the provincial boundaries into Leinster, Galway had managed to qualify for a Leinster final against Kilkenny, but completely underperformed in the Croke Park encounter, being dominated by the Cats from pillar to post.

This year, there is an eerily similar feel to the run-in towards Saturday's game, but Liam Cahill and his Tipperary players will hope that they can change the result this time around against the Tribesmen, and at a minimum, deliver a more substantial and sustained performance.

There has been plenty of changes to the team that started that ill-fated game for Tipperary in 2023, but it is fair to say that they come into the game with a lot more consistency and form than was the case two years ago.

The loss to Waterford in the final game of the round robin game cost Tipp a place in the Munster final, and despite a massive preliminary quarter-final win over Offaly a few weeks later, the form never recovered; the two point margin of loss flattering Tipperary on the day in what was an awful performance.

Eight players from that game are expected to start on Saturday for Tipperary, so there are still plenty of players in situ with the scars from that day, and with the new blood infused into the mix, the result is leaning towards Tipperary in most quarters.
It is hard to read anything into the Laois game such as the preliminary quarter-finals are in their current guise.

There was little to be gained for Liam Cahill and the potential for more to be lost, but alas, the result came without any expense in terms of injury or effort and that will be the pleasing aspect.

It has been a long time since any team has been such far out favourites for a knockout game between Tipperary and Galway. The bookies currently have Tipperary as four point favourites to claim the win, and that is largely down to the inept form that Galway have shown this year; particularly in the Leinster final loss to Kilkenny.

From the outside looking in, Galway are probably two years behind Tipperary in that they have been slow to push out the successful team of ten years previous, and reinvigorate the panel with fresh talent to drive the county on into the next decade.

They have returned to Michéal Donoghue to rebuild and despite the All-Ireland winning manager from 2017 admitting that it is a long-term project, he has put his faith in the older brigade to get the county through the short-term.

That they continue to look towards David Burke, Daithi Burke, Conor Cooney to name but a few, has echoes of Tipperary post-Covid era and that is where they are at.

Still, they have quality in the ranks and despite the contrast in form and opinion between the two counties, the sight of the blue and gold invariably produces the best of Galway regardless of form and personnel.

Cathal Mannion is the main man for Tribesmen and he will likely be marshalled by Robert Doyle who has excelled in the man-marking role in his first year at this level.

Conor Whelan has operated at half forward and that would be a welcome sight for Tipp as it was he who did the main damage in 2023 with 1-4 from full forward, so it is plausible that he may be relocated to what is his best position.

Without Mannion's contributions, Galway have been largely toothless up front, so if he can be managed, it would go a long way for Tipp.

Closer to home, it is hard to know how Tipperary will be after the four-week break pre the Laois game. The return of Alan Tynan is welcome and with Eoghan Connolly and Jake Morris rested, along with the likes of Noel McGrath, they will be fresh to say the least.

This is a key game for this Tipperary team. They have improved this year, no doubt, but failure to get a win here would do damage to morale in the county, so it will be vital for the progression of this team to get the job done, and in the process, knock the Galway monkey off their backs.

There is never more than a score between these sides in knockout games, and Tipp will be eager to be on the right side this time around.

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