Ex-Cork star praises Tipp boss for risk that has paid off in All-Ireland final

Ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final between Tipperary and Cork, Rebel legend Dónal Óg Cusack has praised Liam Cahill for his bravery in selection.

The Tipp manager has picked a number of young players throughout the championship, and while there were growing pains last year and a big loss to Cork in the Munster SHC this season, it has paid off in spades with the Premier making their first All-Ireland final since 2019.

Writing for RTÉ, Dónal Óg said: “In addition to winning this year’s Under-20 All-Ireland, three different Tipperary schools have won the last three Harty Cups, they’ve won two of last five Minor All-Irelands. Liam Cahill’s willingness to roll the dice with young players has paid off. Molann an obair an fear.

“Against Kilkenny in the semi-final, most of the confidence and imagination came from the less experienced Tipp side.”

Speaking ahead of the final, Cahill said: “It’s been a brilliant journey for all of us, everyone involved with Tipperary, from players, management, to supporters alike.”

“Huge change, I suppose, in personnel on the field as well as anything else.

“I think there is huge excitement and encouragement around the way our team is performing at the moment.

“People have heard me say it numerous times, when the Tipperary supporters are looking at a team giving it everything for the jersey and fighting for everything that’s on offer, they back their players, regardless of the result, and I think we’re both feeding off of one another really well.

“Our underage success has helped as well.

“Things in Tipperary, while we get criticised maybe the odd time for not doing things that well, we do a lot of things right.

“Our county board, our games development, our underage structure, I think the alignment with everybody in that regard, and huge support from a lot of really successful GAA business people as well outside of what has to happen on the field have come in and supported a lot of people in the whole collective of rising the ship that was, we won’t say fully sunk, but maybe halfway down.

“But we’re glad that the tide has risen again and we’re back up and looking forward now to our flagship team and Tipperary being in the last two of the championship.”