TIPPERARY MANAGER EAMON O’SHEA was in monosyllabic mode following his side’s defeat in yesterday’s Allianz Hurling League final.
A clearly disgruntled O’Shea was reluctant to engage fully with the media after Kilkenny star TJ Reid’s late point ensured a narrow defeat for Tipp.
O’Shea and his players had genuine cause for grievance after Colin Fennelly’s 11th minute point was allowed to stand, despite TV replays showing that the ball was wide.
And in the first period of stoppage time, Noel McGrath argued that his ‘point’, which was waved wide, was over the bar, with TV replays again seeming to back up Tipp’s argument.
Tipp also conceded two penalties – both goaled by TJ Reid – and when asked about those awards, O’Shea responded: “Referees are there to give penalties.”
He added: “I can’t change what happened. What happens in a game happens in a game. You get penalties, you don’t get penalties.
“I could spend my life worrying about this but I have to move on.
“I’m just really proud of the players – they put in a huge effort.
“I’m not going to be critical of anybody.
“That’s a game that has to be refereed in real time. I don’t have a problem – I’m just elated with the performance of the team.
“That’s something to be proud of.”
O’Shea’s initial reaction to his side’s defeat was spiky as he stated: “It was just a game. We lost the game by a point – I don’t believe in lucky and unlucky.”
And O’Shea’s response when asked about the difference between the two sides on the day was pointed, as he snapped: “There was no difference.”
But O’Shea was pleased with his side’s display, adding: “Very good performance – I really thought the players really played well.
“I thought the performance was outstanding – my players were outstanding. Anybody in this group and criticised this group of players, I think you need to think again.”
O’Shea continued: “I thought it was a great game, a fantastic game to watch and for our players to play in. But we’re just focused on this game at the moment. I’ll think about it during the week.
“Really proud of the players – thought they were outstanding. They’re good players.”
One reporter present gauged O’Shea’s mood accurately, suggesting that he was not going to say ‘an awful lot.’
It prompted this response from O’Shea: “I’ve got really good players in the dressing room – what else do you want me to say? Brilliant match – hope ye enjoyed it.
“A game like that will bring you on. It’s just great to play a game like that.”
Another local reporter wondered if losing another big game against Kilkenny would affect Tipperary in a negative sense and O’Shea replied: “I don’t feel like you feel.”
A feature of Tipperary’s approach in the game’s latter stages was O’Shea’s penchant for withdrawing and reintroducing players from the bench, with Seamus Callanan, John O’Dwyer and John O’Brien taken off and brought back on again.
The manager explained: “We were happy with the players that were in there. When you’re involved in a game like that, the tempo of the game is such that it’s hard for players to come in off the bench. I was happy with the players we had and the players we’ll use again. The decision to use the players, in the tempo of the game, was my decision really.”
