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Tipperary 'the most dangerous team in the country'

Tipperary will take on Offaly this weekend
Tipperary will take on Offaly this weekend

Eight teams remain in the race for the Liam MacCarthy Cup but Tipperary are the "most dangerous" of them, according to RTÉ GAA analyst Jackie Tyrrell.

The Premier County missed out on a spot in the Munster final last month after shipping a defeat to Waterford in the last round-robin game, when a draw might have seen them through.

It means they face a preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final on Saturday against Offaly, with the winner set to face Galway, who had a fourth Leinster title snatched from them at the death by Cillian Buckley and Kilkenny.

Speaking on the RTÉ GAA Podcast Tyrrell was asked which of the beaten provincial finalists - the Tribesmen or Clare - stand a better chance of rebounding and getting closer to lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

But the former Kilkenny great, who amassed nine Celtic Crosses in his time in Black and Amber, instead elected to look elsewhere.

"Tipperary are the most dangerous team in the country right now," he responded.

"If you gave me €1,000 I would think strongly about putting on Tipperary to win the All-Ireland. I just think they are going to be such a tough proposition for this Galway team."

Suggesting that Tipp will have too much for beaten Joe McDonagh finalists Offaly, Tyrrell was already thinking about the following weekend and the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

"Henry [Shefflin's] interview afterwards where he said they're in there feeling sorry for themselves, that was a very interesting line for him to come out with.

"I don't think I've ever heard a manager say that. He's going to have a big job to lift those guys again. Tipp will be fresh, they'll have a bounce in their step, some of the lads will be back.

"Without being dismissive to Offaly they should get over the line there and I fancy Tipp to do a job on Galway. You'd scratch your head with Galway's form.

"It'll be a huge test for Henry, how he picks them up and rejigs this Galway team and gets a bit of life into them. Tom Monaghan, Conor Cooney, Joseph Cooney - they weren't at the races on Sunday."

Eventually getting to the crux of the question, Tyrrell added: "Clare have an easier passage and they have some scope to improve, so you'd have to fancy Clare to bounce back and have a go at an All-Ireland."

The Banner await the winners of the all-Leinster meeting of Dublin and McDonagh champions Carlow, which is due to take place on Saturday

The GAA will aim to avoid repeat meetings in the All-Ireland semi-finals, where possible.

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