Galway captain David Burke following the Leinster SHC Final.
By Cian O'Connell
Systems and sweepers continue to pepper hurling conversations throughout the land.
Two fascinating All Ireland Semi-Finals await next month: Galway’s clash with Tipperary carries intrigue, while Waterford’s tussle against Cork is an equally attractive fixture.
What is Galway captain David Burke’s assessment of operating with an extra defender? “Derek McGrath realised last year against Kilkenny that playing a sweeper for a certain amount is not going to get you to where you want to be – an All-Ireland final,” Burke says.
“He realised that last year in the replay and they went for it. They, probably, could have got over the line. I know they are still playing a sweeper, but they are scoring a lot more this year than they have been in the last couple of years. We and Tipperary are pure orthodox, 15 on 15.”
Burke is happy to embrace whatever challenge is presented to Galway in any particular match. “It was no different the day we played Offaly,” Burke states.
“They played two sweepers. It is just about managing that during the game. We still scored over 30 points. Even the last day, Wexford played a sweeper and Waterford still got 1-23. It is coming to a stage where teams are so used to playing against it that they are able to manipulate the team and work around it.”
Davy Fitzgerald’s work with Wexford impressed Burke, who was struck by how the Slaneysiders’ performed. “The way Davy has it fixed this year, he has a sweeper but his half-back line are attacking all the time,” Burke explains.
“He has developed his system. To say it is a very defensive system, it isn’t really. If you really look at their half-back line, Diarmuid O’Keeffe is their top goal scorer.
The Galway team before the Leinster SHC Final at Croke Park.
“He and Matthew O’Hanlon are always going forward. Davy has perfected his system over the last couple of years with LIT, Clare and now Wexford.
“No more than Derek McGrath use to use it at schools level with De La Salle, he perfected his system there. When he is used of the players playing that system up along, it can be easier for them to play it. As a spectacle, it might not look that pretty, but it might win you the game.
“With a team that plays a sweeper, there is that more fear that backs might not be good enough to handle the forward unit. That is why they play a sweeper. There is no hiding the fact that that is the case.
“Davy was obviously afraid of some of the forwards Waterford have. He wanted to put a player back there to stop the goals. If they had stopped that goal in the first-half – it was a Wexford mistake – it would have been a different game.”
Can a team that deploys a sweeper climb to the hurling summit in September? “Depending on whether Tadhg De Búrca gets off, that could have a big factor on the Cork game,” Burke replies.
“I don’t think Waterford have a player who can play that role as good as he does. In actual fact, it might be a blessing in disguise for them. It might actually suit them against Cork if they go toe-to-toe with them. They’d probably beat them.
“If they sit back like that, they mightn’t. I don’t think a sweeper is going to win you an All-Ireland. Even when Clare won the All-Ireland, they didn’t really play a sweeper.”
Tactical talk continues, but triumphing in September remains the objective for Galway, Tipperary, Waterford, and Cork.
