Na Piarsaigh died with their boots on but Ballygunner always looked like winning that, and will be favourites for Munster. They didn’t have to work nearly as hard as Na Piarsaigh for their scores. They brought 12/13 players in their own half for a lot of the game, and had the world of space in front of their forward line.
Sars have to be able to draw them out by scoring points from distance. They might have to bring their own forwards back into the Sarsfields half. It doesn’t make for a great watch but they probably have to be willing to play the sliotar backwards into their own half back line. Very little to be gained by trying to run into three or four players in the Ballygunner half, or by hitting a high ball into a half with that many players. Even if you win possession you’re surrounded by players.
The likes of Elliot, Kearney, Murphy and McCarthy were able to score from distance which was so key to their win last year. On the other side, the Sars half-back line can’t be following the Ballygunner players back that deep into the Ballygunner defense. The likes of Hutchinson and Fitzgerald are unplayable when you give them space to run into. If Sars forwards are able to work backwards and crowd out the Sars half more than Ballygunner forwards do on the other side, then they have a decent chance.
