Doran talks up Tipp ahead of Antrim’s Tailteann Cup clash

By Niall Gartland

A WINNABLE tie for Antrim – but the same equally applies for Tipperary. That’s the cautious message imparted by Saffrons manager Mark Doran ahead of Saturday’s Tailteann Cup Round 2A encounter at Corrigan Park.

Barring an Ulster Championship outing against Derry that was never going to define their season, Antrim have won four of the last five games, including an epic extra-time win over Carlow in their Tailteann Cup opener.

Is the corner well and truly turned? Mark Doran isn’t so sure about that one, but he acknowledges that their current form is a world away from their struggles in the early rounds of their Division Four campaign.

“A week or two weeks is a very long time in football and you’ve seen that with Down in the Ulster Championship.

“Look, in the first couple of league games, we were a few bodies short. Five or six of your core boys didn’t start and I don’t care what county team you’re involved in, every team needs their top players playing.

“If you took Odhrán Murdock or Dan Guinness out of Down, it would be extremely difficult for them and that’s just the way it is.

He added: “Now the big challenge is making sure we keep our core group fit. We’ll train Tuesday and Thursday night and, hopefully, after Thursday night, we’ll have a full hand other than long-term absentees like Sean O’Neill, Ronan Quinn and Kevin McCann.”

It’s been an extremely difficult spell for their forthcoming opponents Tipperary, who have contended with the death of their manager Philly Ryan last October. Niall Fitzgerald has stepped into the breach and has done a fine job, and his counterpart Mark Doran notes that Tipperary have ample individual talent within their ranks.

Two footed

“We had a good look at them in the league, they beat us down there by a few points. They’ve a really good forward line. Seanie O’Connor would get on any team – right foot, left foot, top class.

“Then you’ve Daithí Hogan, a really good centre forward and the likes of Charlie King at wing half-back and Liam Freaney in the corner-forward line. They’re big, just like all Tipperary teams.

“They’ve a lot of big men around that middle eight. Shane Garland in goals is an excellent player as well.”

“I remember sitting in the house watching them against Cork in the Munster Championship. At half-time they were leading by a point and after 50 minutes it was a draw, so they definitely have a bit of talent about them.”

Tipperary showed their ability in a deserved round-one victory over Sligo, but Antrim likewise will be confident after knocking six goals past Carlow in an extra-time marathon. Doran believes they’ll need to step it up another notch to clinch a home tie at the quarter-final stage.

“Tipperary will be happy with the draw too. They’ll be looking at it as very winnable. They beat us already in the league, but you’d be really impressed with them in the league.

“As good as it was to get the result against Carlow, that performance won’t do this weekend against Tipperary. We’re definitely going to have to up our performance levels because we know Tipperary do have a serious scoring threat and a serious two-point threat in particular – I think they hit five two-pointers against Sligo.”