JJ Delaney: Tipperary holding all the aces over Tribesmen

JJ Delaney explains why he expects Tipperary to come out on top when they face Galway on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

Playing with Kilkenny under Brian Cody, it was never the case that we’d identify periods of the match when we’d aim to play with greater intensity. 

Our focus was always fixed on work rate and maintaining high levels of intensity. Scores arrived because of that willingness to work really hard, every run, every tackle, the perfect execution of every action. 

A score at the end is the icing on the cake. To do that takes huge concentration and sometimes I think Galway’s concentration drops. This Championship they have drifted in and out of games. 

People say Galway need to turn it on for a full 70 minutes; that they need to join the dots on those scoring bursts. Every player just needs to work super hard on every aspect of their performance through every minute. 

The trap they have fallen into is to allow their concentration to slip a level after a scoring burst. And they will not survive fallow periods of scoring against Tipperary.

Are Tipperary 2015 better than the class of 2014?

I think they are better defensively; they are better at thinking on their feet in-game; there is less of a reliance on Seamus Callinan and the continued improvement of players like Jason Forde and Bubbles O’Dwyer is significant.

I’m interested to see how they set up against Galway. Will they play 15 on 15 or will or will they drop Brendan Maher back into midfield, set a defensive structure around Padraic Maher and rely on the skill of their forwards to punish Tipperary turnovers?

Similarly, will Galway drop Iarla Tannion back or will he follow out the field?

I expect Tipperary to start with 15 on 15. Their tactics thereafter will be dictated by what happens in the opening 10 minutes.

I also expect a big game from Bubbles O’Dwyer. He’s a very skilful player, the type of hurler you’d really be looking forward to watching, a brilliant wrist action off either side. 

Similarly, if Galway are to perform then Padraig Mannion needs a big game. I expect him to pick up Bubbles. This will be a key battle.

It’s going to be a physical contest. Jonathan Glynn showed his physicality against Cork and Joe Canning’s influence is obvious. It’s a plus for Galway that their fortunes are no longer fixed on Joe alone.

He had an off-day the last day. But that wouldn’t concern me. It’s the lesser concern if a player misses opportunities. If they don’t create opportunities that’s a bigger concern.

Joe will be influential and there’s obvious potential for goals in their forward line where Cathal Mannion has already shown his hand as an able assistant.

There’s no obvious advantage here because down the far end you've got Seamus Callinan and Bubbles. 

Then you have Lar Corbett whose re-emergence has been a huge psychological and skill boost to a Tipperary team that already has strength in depth in bundles. 

The reports are that Tipperary are flying in training; full of confidence and buoyed by that Munster final victory. 

Galway have some tough contests under their belt, but they will need to be at their optimum to overturn this Tipp squad.

For them to win, Joe Canning needs a stellar performance as does the aforementioned Padraig Mannion in defence. For Tipperary, Bubbles is key, but Padraic Maher will be pivotal. He has shown his ability to dictate a contest from centre back and he can be inspirational. 

Worryingly for Galway, he doesn’t have a monopoly on that quality.

Watch Tipperary v Galway in the All-Ireland SHC Semi-Final live on Sky Sports 3 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday. Not a subscriber? Get a Sky Sports Pass from NOW TV from just £6.99.