Tipperary manager Michael Ryan pictured at the launch of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.
By Cian O'Connell
Michael Ryan hopes Tipperary can use all of their survival instincts in the coming weeks to claim one of the top three spots in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.
Reaching the All Ireland series is Tipperary's initial objective and Ryan expects plenty of thrills and spills down south. "Two teams will be finished by June 17," Ryan says. "That’s a stark reality for any of us. Three of us will get to go ahead.
"We all have the same ambition to be in the top two. I guarantee there’s three or more of us would take that last position with both hands if that’s what is available to us.
"Does it dilute it? I think survival will be the key word that we will all be thinking about. We have got to be in that top three to start with. Obviously one of the top two will get to take away the silverware and I think we are all about that. We are all about trying to gather up the silverware. This is unprecedented it won’t be lost on anyone. It is a stark reality."
Following the Allianz Hurling League Final loss to Kilkenny, Ryan accepts that the opening fixture away to Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds will be a demanding assignment.
"They’re all tricky," Ryan states. "We had a great game with Limerick in the League semi-final. We’ve been watching their progress and it’s not lost on us.
Tipperary manager Michael Ryan before the Allianz Hurling League Final.
"We always talk up the opposition, but the reality is that that Limerick side are backboned by the same players that backboned the UL success this year, and that was an impressive university team.
"Limerick have been very successful at under 21 grade. These guys had to come and here they are. I think there’s a great confidence building in Limerick, not just to play us, but for the whole Championship.
"The genie is out of the bottle. We know how good they are and it will be a case of the best horse will jump the fence."
Upperchurch-Drombane clubman Ryan is excited about the new Championship format which will be packed with exciting matches. "It’s going to challenge all of us," Ryan admits. "But I think it will bring a great level of competition amongst our internal squads.
"I think there will be a lot of different teamsheets. Intentions to line out with a specific team, but there might be last-minute changes.
"There have been a lot of demands on these guys over the last few weeks. We’re into a new format, we hope we’re going to be well enough prepared, but no-one can say with certainty that they’re ready for all of this."
