Tipperary star Ronan Maher doesn’t believe that Tipperary will carry any psychological hang-ups in to the All-Ireland series.
BY SHANE STAPLETON
Tipperary star Ronan Maher doesn’t believe that Tipperary will carry any psychological hang-ups in to the All-Ireland series.
The Premier were ten points up on Limerick in the Munster SHC final but collapsed in the second half — eventually losing by five.
It continued a wretched run for the 2019 All-Ireland kingpins against the Treaty, who have soundly beaten them in big championship games in the past four seasons — with the 2019 round-robin dead rubber being the exception.
John Kiely’s men are safely through to the final-four — as are Kilkenny — and Maher feels that Tipp will having plenty of positives to focus on as they look to recover through the back door.
“To be honest, I don’t think it does,” says Maher of the Limerick defeats leaving a lasting impact. “We all know how well we played in the first half of that game.
“Including last year, they have been fairly dominant over us and have been setting the standard.
“Everyone knows that Limerick are the team to beat at the minute, but the sooner you regroup with your teammates after a game like that, the better.
“It’s good to discuss (things) and obviously they got the win over us, and the Munster final two years ago was the toughest one when they annihilated us below in Limerick.
“Listen, we’ll be looking to get a crack at them again but we have to focus on Waterford on Saturday.
“You have to take it game by game, and this championship is ruthless, so we can’t afford to slip up again.”
Tipp will this Saturday meet Waterford in an All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, with Premier native Liam Cahill in charge of the Deise.
Capacities have been confirmed at 7,000 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and 4,400 in Thurles. Sky Sports is televising the Cork-Dublin clash and RTÉ are showing the Tipperary-Waterford game.
