Jackie Tyrrell believes that there are grounds for optimism in Tipperary despite falling to a third Munster SHC defeat in Limerick on Sunday.
The Premier County are effectively out of the running for the knockout stages of the championship but the nine-time All-Ireland winner was impressed with their improvement from a demoralising loss to Clare last day out.
Tipperary led for long portions of the game before Limerick eventually hit two late goals to win by seven points.
"They lost their two previous games. A terrible performance against Clare. So many injuries, so many retirees," said Tyrrell on The Sunday Game.
"But today they fronted up. They were spirited. They got in Limerick's face and asked questions probably not [asked] of this Limerick team so far.
"Colm Bonnar and his team will be happy with a lot of it. Of course they lost again but it’s a far cry from the performance we saw against Clare.
"The most important thing is that they learned. They set up structurally better at the back. They seemed more compact. The gaping holes that were evident against Clare seemed to be fixed.
"Some young lads really stepped up. I thought Dillon Quirke was really good, Jake Morris, Ger Browne.
"There are green shoots there for this Tipp team."
Jackie Tyrell thinks Tipperary learning from their mistakes led to an improved performance against a Limerick side that Davy Fitzgerald said "didn't panic" when they were behind. #GAA #Hurling #Tipperary #Limerick pic.twitter.com/M0v4GIhEHO
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 8, 2022
Davy Fitzgerald felt Limerick started the game slowly compared to their wins over Cork and Limerick.
"I think Limerick lacked the same intensity they started the first two games with," said the Clare man.
"They didn’t panic and as the game went on they grew into it. The last 20 minutes there was one team in control."
Both pundits agreed that a yellow card was sufficient punishment for Aaron Gillane’s late pull on Ronan Maher.
"He had one hand off the hurley," said Fitzgerald, who thought the Limerick man only had eyes for the ball. "And even his second hand goes off.
"If he wants to do damage there, he’s going in with two hands and there won’t be much of a hurley left.
"I think a yellow was definitely the right call."
