BABS NOT KEEN ON TIPP SIDE.

Byline: MICHAEL SCULLY

TIPPERARY legend Babs Keating is concerned that the current crop of Premier County stars lack the spine and structure to become All-Ireland champions.

Although Liam Sheedy's side have had a fine couple of years - winning the NHL in 2008 and reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals, then just losing to Kilkenny in the League and All-Ireland finals this year - Keating is not sure if they have the ability to go that crucial step further.

Keating, who guided the county to the Liam Mc-Carthy in 1989 and 1991, fears that Tipp are short four players of the quality required to overtake Kilkenny - and that Sheedy doesn't have sufficient strength in depth.

"Unless those four players are found, Tipperary are off on a very expensive holiday with 20 subs," said Keating.

"I hope that it's not similar to what I saw in '84 in Thurles. A Tipp team performed brilliantly in '84 but never performed again like that. The same team took Tipp to Division Two in hurling and stayed in Division Two the year after I took over.

"What I saw in the county final in Thurles didn't help me to say that we're on the way to finding those four players."

Keating says he has either been involved or has closely watched the development of 11 of the 25 All-Ireland winning sides to have come out of Tipperary.

And he warned: "There's a vein and a structure that is required in hurling and all those teams had it. This team is missing it.

"And until they find that vein or that vital ingredient of the trunk of a tree down the middle. You build around it - and we haven't got that.

"We're missing a centre field and we're missing that structure in the forward line to be able to say that we'll walk out the dressing room door with confidence and know that it is going to run like four wheels in a car.

"Until Liam Sheedy provides that Tipperary can't be sure that they'll win matches."

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STRUCTURE Ex-boss Babs thinks Tipp are lacking a spine