Was Derek Lyng’s lightbulb moment the tactical template he used with Kilkenny’s U20 team? Their epic Leinster semi-final victory over Galway in 2022 saw Paddy Langton play as an out-and-out seventh defender with wing-backs given the freedom to attack and score.
Billy Reid and Joe Fitzpatrick’s scoring roles are now taken by Mikey Carey and Paddy Deegan, who both like to attack from deep. Carey’s instinct for attack is propelled by undoubted wheels, and Lyng may well decide to use him on Sunday in a hunt, chase and attack role on Jake Morris.
In 1992, I was fortunate enough to play in a minor All-Ireland hurling final. Despite the disappointing result, we were positioned in the Hogan Stand for the senior game. With tactical innovations rarely venturing outside the realms of Cyril Farrell’s third midfielder approach, as a 16-year-old old I was fascinated by Pat O’Neill’s performance at centre back. For the whole game, he didn’t stir from the edge of the D, clearing, sweeping, launching attack after attack and being the defensive lynchpin for the victory. This positioning may not have been a result of shape scenario planning, but nonetheless it materialised.
Over the years I have met hundreds of Kilkenny people who have said to me, “Ah would you ever go out and play 15 on 15”. Initially sensitive, I would bite. Now I have learned to live in my own bubble, smile, and simply retort that “the Cats started it all”.
Forget 1992, what about the full-forward line of 2006 handing over possession of the puckout to Pat Mulcahy and company while Dónal Óg looks out at a wall of stripes in the middle third with Cha Fitz and Lyng himself parked with Eoin Larkin in a nine-man defensive set?
Incidentally, a quick analysis of that 1992 senior final, with Pat O’Neill winning man of the match, reveals that of the paltry 1-13 Cork scored, only 0-7 came from the starting Cork forwards, the goal by substitute Ger Manley. Kilkenny will not claim the origins of that defensive system, but many coaches took their lead from the set-up.
Kilkenny’s tactical thinking is not to be underestimated. Richie Hogan’s summarised in his brilliant autobiography that the tactical evolution of other teams brought a slower-than-anticipated reaction from Kilkenny. But change has accelerated under Lyng.
Richie Reid’s sweeping role sees Jordan Molloy and Cian Kenny share the tracking of the opposition 11. In Kenny’s case against Galway in the first half he positioned himself centrally in front of the Galway 11 rather than actually marking him, with the wandering Stephen Donnelly having the fitness and smarts to do his best David Reidy impression — covering midfield, repositioning himself in the corner for opposition puckouts, and turning up in point-scoring areas.
Many expect Donnelly to be replaced by Eoin Cody on Sunday, but his value to how team set-up functions cannot be overstated. The master of space creation Adrian Mullen provides a serious dilemma for his marker. TJ Brennan did not know whether to stick or twist with Mullen operating 100 yards from goal as a double wing back covering Carey’s marauding runs and crucially capable of scoring from distance.
TJ Reid’s aerial brilliance, his guile and his instinct make him a brilliant foil for Mossy Keoghan. The curveball may come with the introduction of Cody or Mullen for sporadic spells inside where they are equally adept in the air.
John Donnelly’s timing, his leadership, his hands, make him perhaps the most underrated hurler in the country. Watch his give-and-go chip sidelines, his tackling, his catching in behind and the grace of his striking. And there’s a lovely sense of humility in terms of how he carries himself.
The form of Billy Ryan on the wing reminds me of when Eddie Brennan was relocated to the wing at the end of his career. A licence to roam, attacking from deep and tracking. Consider a forward line of Mullen, John Donnelly, Ryan, Cody, Reid and Keoghan. With Stephen Donnelly incredibly unlucky. Cody (if he’s right) has to play, but do not rule out a Cats curveball with one of the sextet located on midfield.
For the last year, Liam Cahill’s Tipperary have operated a similar tactical set up to Brendan Cummins’ successful U20s team. Watch what happens if Kilkenny give them a free man by setting up with seven. Will Tipperary be happy to leave it 6 v 5, or will Willie Connors reprise his Kiladangan role, sweeping around the back to offer an extra outlet, with both teams ending up with 7v5?
Key to freeing up Ronan Maher, or at times Craig Morgan, has been the treble jobbing of Sam O’Farrell and Alan Tynan as half forwards who alternate between covering the opposition 11 out of possession and also threaten the opposition goal. Opposition teams often trade off against these players, thinking that they won’t influence the scoreboard, but they are the very ones who turn up in scoring areas.
The confidence and buzz of Ormond and Morris, their interchangeability, allied to the craft and skill of John McGrath and Jason Forde, now combined with the dynamism of McCarthy and O’Donoghue, make Tipperary’s forward unit a dangerous proposition.
The management’s post-Galway messaging that Pat Ryan was the only man smiling was interesting. By infusing youth, through appealing to the Tipperary public to follow this team that “represents the jersey”, and by hurling with passion, skill and subtle tactical tweaks, the underdog role has been perfectly cast. Tipperary people are in “sure it’s been a good year anyway” territory, but you can be sure that Cahill and his team are in “no tomorrow” territory sniffing blood.
Kilkenny to advance
Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s Dublin will need a different motivational angle tomorrow. The “nobody gave us a chance, ye (media) wrote us off” approach will probably not resurface this week. That’s not to say there won’t be passion and a certain indignation, but Conor Burke’s comments this week around data and metrics that they were not happy with in last year’s game with Cork seems to be their angle.
For me therein lies the worry. A team relying singularly on reaching their KPIS in a semi-final of an All-Ireland against a ravenous, highly-charged Rebel invasion of the capital. Dublin will surely invest some psychological input into the identity piece as Dublin hurlers and people. A combination of this with their metric goals should lead to a performance.
Burke’s quick confab with his manager in the immediate aftermath of Chris Crummey’s sending off was a brilliant insight into the leadership within the Dublin squad. I watched the Kilkenny-Tipperary minor final from last year as a reference point for Dublin’s performance this week. Grit, athleticism and hunger were the definite prerequisites, but more so the tactical alignment, the corrective analysis, and the players to implement a previously simulated scenario.
Burke’s post-match interview revealed the work the players had done “out of possession”. With Conor McHugh tracking Cian Lynch, Burke traded off on Will O’Donoghue leaving him do his defensive work. Rian McBride and Fergal Whitely did the double-jobbing, while Burke operated 45 yards from his own goal free and spare, having the game awareness to appear on the shoulder or in the pocket to shoot from distance.
How many times have we all been in a dressing room at half-time with things going relatively okay, and the summit deduces “leave it as it is, we’re going well”. Ó Ceallacháin’s move in bringing on John Hetherton at half time was inspiring and calculated. With Ronan Hayes operating on the wing Tipperary’s minor final set up when down to 13 was simulated.
A similar mix-and-match approach will be needed tomorrow. Cork come with the almost perfect build-up. The Limerick round robin game has acted as an foil to stall the hype train. The magnanimous genuineness of their manager has echoes of Klopp’s relationship with the Liverpool people. Here is a man with the people of Cork in his hands, steering the wheel with sincerity, honesty and love.
When Rob Downey declared that “we love you to bits, Pat” I was reminded of the magic of what can happen when a group of people care and love each other. For me, there is something deeply spiritual about what happens in all our counties but this year particularly in Cork. When the camera panned to Pat’s face during the Munster Final celebrations, our whole family shed a tear. There’s something deeper at play here for Cork and outside of deep-rooted analysis that intangible spirituality can bring a real freedom to their play in Croke Park.
Pat referenced all the “scenario planning” this week and with Gary Keegan probably zooming in from Australia much of the focus would have been on being on point physically and emotionally.
Harnedy’s loss may well be a motivational focus point and I feel that Cork will be supremely tuned. I have consistently argued that this Cork team should have won a couple of All-Irelands by now. This should not be misinterpreted as setting up the team for a fall, or adding to the hype. But just consider the starting six forwards tomorrow – Healy, Barrett, Dalton, Horgan, Connolly, Hayes and ask yourself the question: Could I find a place for Robbie O’Flynn, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston, Jack O Connor, Seamie Harnedy, Brian Roche in my county team?
Those observing that Cork played man-on-man in the Munster Final might want to rewatch the game from behind the goal. Ciarán Joyce married brilliant man-marking with directing Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O’Mahony to pick Lynch when out of possession. The positioning of both midfielders, allied to the defensive depth of their half-forward line, supplemented by Hayes as a ‘behind Kyle Hayes’ full-forward, reminded me of the 1999 Cork set-up with Alan Browne disrupting from behind.
Given their success with the long puckout last year and its limited success this year, will Duck O’Rourke and his coaching team have considered dusting it off and tweaking it slightly? Could we see some bombs down on Hayes and Dalton with runners including Fitzgibbon from midfield anticipating breaks. I think Cork will go for the kill and I expect them to win comfortably.
I have invested many of my column inches over the years in the role of emotion in sport. My youngest boy Odhran asked me several times before, during and after the minor final on Saturday last, “Are you crying Dad?”.
To be honest, I was more tearing up than openly crying but the perceptive antenna of 11-year-olds cannot be underestimated. I played in a minor final myself in 1992, ironically with Joxer (minor manager) wearing number 4 with selector Paul Flynn our star player at top of the left.
The influence of nostalgia in evoking emotion cannot be discounted. It was clear that love, care and positive direction was to the fore amongst the management and players. Pre-match interviews locally with selector Nicholas Mackey and Joxer himself were sprinkled with a clear emotional connection between all.
Tommy Ryan’s coaching nous and brilliant personality is stamped all over this team. The perfect mix of humour, seriousness and tactical awareness. Tommy is a brilliant addition to Joxer’s management. Just like the really good work done by Gavin O’Brien over the previous years, they are the future of Waterford coaching.
We are very proud here in our school to have 11 of the panel representing our maxim with pride and honour. Jonathan Moore was rightly positioned well for the trophy presentation given the work he’s done at every level. His and my old sparring partner Dermot Dooley was the proudest De La Salle College teacher of all given what he’s contributed to these boys.
There was an indescribable sense of who we are as a county, what we are, and what we want to be, manifesting itself through brilliant young people on and off the field.
We returned home and listened to the replay of the game on WLR with passionate and astute commentary from Kieran O’Connor and Sean Power before watching the game again on TG4. The night seemed to go on forever.
Over the coming months and years, the conversations will turn to who will make it or who will come through to senior level. Cork’s Michael Brosnan, Colm Garde, Cormac Deane and Craig O’Sullivan; Clare’s Paul Rodgers, Dara Kennedy and Liam Murphy; Kilkenny’s Jake Mullen, Larry Phelan and Josh Dowling; as well as many others from other counties, will also join the list of potential senior players.
Their location may mean a longer apprenticeship than our young men. What we do have now in Spain, Keane, Comerford, O’Shea, Quann, the three Powers, and all the team is hope.
Martin Luther King’s maxim is applicable to our tribe, our race,the Déise. “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose finite hope.”
Thanks to you Joxer and everyone involved.
