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"Open football will tear apart defences if it's done right" - Tipperary All-Star Declan Browne analyses Premier success

In"blanket defence" have become the norm, Tipperary opted to revert to a more traditional approac...



"Open football will tear a...
Football

"Open football will tear apart defences if it's done right" - Tipperary All-Star Declan Browne analyses Premier success

In"blanket defence" have become the norm, Tipperary opted to revert to a more traditional approach for their All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Galway.

Their resounding triumph was seen as a victory for so-called 'open' and 'expansive' football, something that has become more and more rare with the introduction of ultra-defensive systems.

Speaking to Newstalk Sport's Oisin Langan, former Tipperary All-Star Declan Browne says that the result proves defensive football is not the future of the game  

"Every county in Ireland got caught with this whole defensive thing and we are playing a sweeper as well but he pushes up," he said. "Everyone got sucked into that because Tyrone and Donegal won All-Irelands with [that system]. They thought it was the way to go.

"It just goes to show that open football will tear apart defence if it's done right. We're trying to teach that at underage here in Tipperary.

"It makes it even sweeter to be getting credit that we played last Sunday. I fully understand that Galway played poorly as well, but when we got going they got into their stride. They love Croke Park and they love the open space.

"The lads love to kick the ball around the place and that's exactly what they did once they got the chance. We tried to play football, even in my time I think we tried to play football the way it is supposed to be played. It wasn't a blanket defence type of day, but more of a shootout. And we came out on top."

"It'll definitely take this week to come back down off cloud nine. It's been a massive few days for the lads and for people in general. It's a huge buzz down here and we're 70 minutes away from being in an All-Ireland final, who'd have thought that?"

Philip Austin and Kevin O'Halloran celebrate at the final whistle on Sunday. Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne 

Browne continued by saying that despite the fact the Munster finalists have already achieved something special and they are looking past "bonus territory" to secure an All-Ireland final.

"They have no fear of anyone. They're not cocky, but they don't look over their shoulders to see what Cork and Kerry are doing. They look after themselves and they back themselves to perform.

"I don't think these lads are thinking they're in bonus territory now, I think it's past that now. This is serious stuff, all the romance is out of it now. We've a big chance to get to an All-Ireland final, whether it's Mayo or Tyrone. Obviously last year in the qualifiers Tyrone gave us a bit of a lesson in the second half in Thurles so it could be in the back of the lads minds. But I don't think they'll fear anyone."

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