LAST AUGUST, DESPITE a stunning 3-9 from Seamus Callanan, Tipperary were unable to give their departing manager Eamon O’Shea one last shot at winning an elusive Liam MacCarthy Cup as a manager.
It’s something that Padraic Maher says has played on his mind ever since.
“Like us players he wasn’t expecting it to finish on that day,” Maher said this week.
“Our plan was to get to the final, unfortunately it didn’t work out. I suppose it hit us then about an hour after the match that everything was finished with Eamon.
“That’s what we were so disappointed about, even more so than losing the game that we let Eamon down in that way. Eamon wanted to win, he’s a winner and unfortunately it didn’t work out. Maybe that’s why he was so emotional.
“It was an awful pity the way it finished up, there’s nothing more we can say to make it any easier for him.”
However, the Thurles Sarsfields clubman added that he believes O’Shea’s replacement — former assistant manager Michael Ryan — is well suited to take over.
“He said his few words afterwards. Nobody wanted to get into it at the time. We just wanted to get out of Croke Park as quickly as possible.
“It’s very disappointing from a players’ point of view that we didn’t even get to the final for Eamon after what he’d done for us over the last number of years. It’s an awful pity we couldn’t get a bit more success.
“He’s a great man, great Tipperary man, after putting a good base there for the Tipperary team for the next number of years. Mick Ryan was there beside him so hopefully he picked up a bit off him.
“Eamon’s after laying good foundations – hopefully we can build on them.”
“Mick has the personality to step into that role. He’s a very passionate man, loves hurling, loves Tipperary hurling. He brings that out in the dressing room if he’s talking to us. Even talking one-on-one, his passion comes out and his enthusiasm for it.
“I have no doubts that Mick will come in and step into the role. He’s worked under two top class managers in Liam Sheedy and Eamonn O’Shea so I’m sure he’s picked up pointers off them that he’ll use.
“He’s a great head himself so he’ll have plenty of experience drawn from his playing career and then being under the two lads. I have no doubts there that he’ll step into the role quite comfortably.”
