
Following a 'terrible game in-house' Tipp got match-ups right to claim All-Ireland title
On Liam Cahill and Mikey Bevans's instructions, the A team operated with an extra player in defence last weekend. However, the initial results in FBD Semple Stadium did not suggest they were going to be bringing the Liam MacCarthy Cup back there.
'Liam and Mikey put in massive work in the background, we just got told last week as to what you were going after,' said Connolly. 'We actually trained last weekend and it didn't actually work out for us, we had a terrible game in-house, the A versus B. But we got our match-ups right on Sunday and thankfully got the result.'
The Cashel King Cormacs man said the margin was 'an awful score as well. There was wicked heat inside in Thurles last weekend and it was probably our first time playing with a plus one in a long time, since the Clare game I think, so it just took us a while to get to grips with it. But even by Friday evening we were training and we couldn't get enough of it.'
Connolly was assigned Joe Fogarty in the game and he was on the wrong side of their duel. 'He's sick, he's actually a carbon copy of Seamus Harnedy. I got an awful licking off him last weekend, I was even half worried as to what my form was at, to be honest.'
Meanwhile, Tipperary penalty goalscorer Darragh McCarthy said Jason Forde was keen to take the placed ball shot. It is believed the plan was for Forde was to take it but the Toomevara tyro assumed the responsibility.
'I suppose you have to do a bit positive talking to yourself. You have to steel the mind in a way. Three points up, score this and go six up, with a man up as well. There was pressure on that as well. I think Jason wanted a hit it as well, but I said I'd take it off him.
'Jason was getting ratty about it! I said, 'No, leave it off.' But Jason said, 'Go for it.' That gave me confidence as well to do what I do and stick it.'

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Irish Examiner
5 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Marc Ó Sé: Curb Shaun Patton and Kerry could pip it by a point
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Irish Examiner
5 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Ringrose and McCarthy miss out but Farrell names nine Irish in Lions starting 15 for second Test
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Tuipulotu, a Melbourne native, was denied a Test homecoming with the Lions due to a tight hamstring. It breaks up the all-Scottish midfield partnership with Jones which started last Saturday, although Farrell explained he had wanted to select an all-Irish pairing of Aki and Garry Ringrose as his starting combination but the outside centre reported a recurrence of concussion symptoms that had forced him out of the first Test. 'Sione has a little bit of a tight hamstring there, so that influences that,' Farrell said. 'Huw comes in. Garry was actually selected and unfortunately, in training today, he's had to pull out. That's unfortunate for Garry. 'But, we've always said it's about the squad, and nothing but about the squad. And we're delighted for Huw to come in and be ready to go for Saturday.' Farrell backed his centres to thrive as a partnership. 'They'll be good. 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Captain Maro Itoje now partners England team-mate Ollie Chessum in the second row while the back row is unchanged following standout performances from Tadhg Beirne, fellow flanker Tom Curry and No.8 Jack Conan. There will be joy in Wales with the selection of Jac Morgan as the back-row replacement, the Lions having last Saturday fielded a Test squad without a Welshman for the first time since 1896. Morgan replaces Ben Earl on the bench while James Ryan fills the vacuum as the lock replacement following the promotion of Chessum to the starting side. The other changes to the bench are backs, with Owen Farrell replacing Marcus Smith and providing cover at 10 and 12, following an impressive 80-minute performance last Tuesday captaining the Lions to a narrow win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV. The former England captain's selection means the 32-year-old, son of the head coach, is in line to appear in his fourth Lions Test series having debuted in 2013 against the Australians. 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BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland), James Lowe (Leinster/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster/Ireland); Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland); Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) – captain, Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England); Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland). Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Leinster /Ireland), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Will Stuart (Bath/England), James Ryan (Leinster /Ireland), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Owen Farrell (Saracens/England), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland)


Irish Independent
6 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Nine Irish to start Lions second Test but Garry Ringrose misses out with concussion
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