TIPPERARY SENIOR FOOTBALL boss Liam Kearns has added highly-rated strength and conditioning coach Dave Moriarty and Munster Rugby’s two-time Heineken Cup medallist Ian Dowling to his backroom team for the 2016 campaign.
And having stepped into his new role, Moriarty believes that dual stars Seamus Kennedy and Steven O’Brien must make the cut with the Tipperary senior hurlers to justify their decisions to quit the football squad.
Kennedy and O’Brien were both key figures for the Tipp footballers in 2015 but have opted for Michael Ryan’s hurling squad next year.
Moriarty has previous experience of the dual dilemma from his time with the Limerick senior footballers, when he also worked alongside Kearns.
And he said: “I don’t know any of the individuals but what I can say is that people need to make up their mind as to where they want to be come June, July, August.
I’ve no problem with ex footballers going to the hurlers but if they’re fringe players, they’ve got to ask themselves if they’ve made the right decision.”
The acquisition of Moriarty is a major coup for Kearns as he looks to build on the progress achieved by his predecessor Peter Creedon.
Moriarty explained: “We worked together in Limerick and how it came about was Liam had a hip operation in late 2001.
“He was with the Limerick senior footballers and approached me to come in and train the team while he was in hospital recuperating.
“I came in for the first couple of months and when he came back, he decided to keep me on as fitness coach, now known as strength and conditioning coach.”
Moriarty worked with the footballers from 2002-2005, before linking up with the Shannonside hurlers from 2006-2008.
Since then, he’s operated with clubs in Clare, Tipperary and Limerick, and most recently he was strength and conditioning coach with Cork outfit Glen Rovers as they won the county senior hurling title for the first time in 26 years.
In his new role with Tipp, Moriarty believes he has some “unfinished business” to attend to, as Limerick went desperately close to a Munster SFC breakthrough when he was there.
From my point of view, it’s a case of unfinished business. We got so close to winning a Munster championship, didn’t get over the line and it still sticks in my gut to think about it.
“But now I have the opportunity to work with new players who, from what I’ve seen so far, are very committed.
“They’re brilliant to train, like sponges wanting to soak up information.”
The addition of Dowling as team physiotherapist is another positive move for Tipperary football.
The Kilkenny native was forced to quit rugby at just 28 years of age in 2011 because of a hip problem but won Heineken Cup medals with Munster in 2006 and 2008, and a Magners League title in 2009.
