WATERFORD MANAGER DEREK McGrath rates Tipperary’s attack as the most potent in the country ahead of Sunday’s Munster final in Semple Stadium.
The Premier strike force contains four current All Stars and he acknowledges their formidable threat.
“When you have a forward line with Brendan Maher, Bonner Maher, Bubbles Dwyer, Seamie Callanan, Niall O’Meara, Jason Forde, Lar Corbett from the bench and Noel McGrath, please God, to come back into it, I think you have brilliant players and brilliant stick men,” he said.
“We have good players as well – I’m not trying to build up one team so that we’re not on a level playing field. I just think the Tipperary players haven’t had the credit they deserve over the years.”
The Déise boss was present in the Gaelic Grounds last month as the 2014 beaten All-Ireland finalists hammered Limerick by 4-23 to 1-16. He sensed that they were eager to lay down an early marker.
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“They would have gained confidence from going to Limerick, silencing the crowd down there and just being ravenous in terms of their whole work rate and their overall play.
“I think some of the players with Tipperary are some of the best players that have ever played the game. That’s how highly I would rate Tipperary.
John O'Dwyer is just one of several forwards Waterford will need to keep quiet. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“I read a very interesting article with Brendan Maher last year where he spoke about the hurt that some Tipperary players had felt as a result of criticism within their own county and it was a heartfelt interview.
“That honesty is evident in the Tipperary team and there’s a real sense of a team on a mission.”
Man-of-the-match John O’Dwyer hit seven points against Limerick but McGrath says that they cannot concentrate on one particular player.
“I don’t think we can. Invariably what happens with Tipperary is that when you negate someone they have the back-up for someone else to come to the forefront.”
The league winners availed of a run-out at Semple Stadium over the weekend. McGrath says that the players only played a small part in the selection of the Thurles venue ahead of the Gaelic Grounds.
The venue for this year's decider is Thurles. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“They didn’t have a massive say. It was a consultative thing. We actually made the decision in advance of the Tipperary-Limerick game. Initially, we asked ourselves what’s best for us and what’s best for the team.
“The more and more it went on, we saw Thurles as a venue. I think Michael Cleary’s article where he referred to Thurles as a venue for the Munster final, he was nearly confirming what our thought process was.
“That’s in no way being derogatory towards Limerick even though there was a massive Waterford feeling in terms of ‘don’t tell me you’re going to Limerick’. It was very hard to avoid. I think all year we have shut the outside out.
“It’s a knock-on effect of us going to Thurles that the public are happier.”
'Some of the Tipperary players are some of the best that have ever played the game'
WATERFORD MANAGER DEREK McGrath rates Tipperary’s attack as the most potent in the country ahead of Sunday’s Munster final in Semple Stadium.
The Premier strike force contains four current All Stars and he acknowledges their formidable threat.
“When you have a forward line with Brendan Maher, Bonner Maher, Bubbles Dwyer, Seamie Callanan, Niall O’Meara, Jason Forde, Lar Corbett from the bench and Noel McGrath, please God, to come back into it, I think you have brilliant players and brilliant stick men,” he said.
The Déise boss was present in the Gaelic Grounds last month as the 2014 beaten All-Ireland finalists hammered Limerick by 4-23 to 1-16. He sensed that they were eager to lay down an early marker.
“They would have gained confidence from going to Limerick, silencing the crowd down there and just being ravenous in terms of their whole work rate and their overall play.
“I think some of the players with Tipperary are some of the best players that have ever played the game. That’s how highly I would rate Tipperary.
“I read a very interesting article with Brendan Maher last year where he spoke about the hurt that some Tipperary players had felt as a result of criticism within their own county and it was a heartfelt interview.
“That honesty is evident in the Tipperary team and there’s a real sense of a team on a mission.”
Man-of-the-match John O’Dwyer hit seven points against Limerick but McGrath says that they cannot concentrate on one particular player.
The league winners availed of a run-out at Semple Stadium over the weekend. McGrath says that the players only played a small part in the selection of the Thurles venue ahead of the Gaelic Grounds.
“They didn’t have a massive say. It was a consultative thing. We actually made the decision in advance of the Tipperary-Limerick game. Initially, we asked ourselves what’s best for us and what’s best for the team.
“That’s in no way being derogatory towards Limerick even though there was a massive Waterford feeling in terms of ‘don’t tell me you’re going to Limerick’. It was very hard to avoid. I think all year we have shut the outside out.
“It’s a knock-on effect of us going to Thurles that the public are happier.”
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Munster SHC derek mcgrath it's all part of the plan Mind Games? Tipperary Waterford