Irish Daily Star - Inside Sport
DALY’S JOY AT CAHILL STAY
Waterford defender Iarlaith Daly admits he was surprised by boss Liam Cahill knocking back the opportunity to manage his native Tipperary.
Cahill was courted by Tipp after two strong seasons with Waterford but confirmed last August that he wasn’t interested, not now at least, citing ‘unfinished business’.
Daly said the Waterford players made it clear to Cahill that they wanted him to stay and celebrated a big coup when the former Tipp minor and Under-20 boss agreed to stick around.
Cahill’s third season with Waterford begins today in Ennis with a Munster Hurling Cup semi-final against Clare.
Speaking at an Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup promotion, defender Daly said it was a welcome surprise that the management team stayed in place.
Definitely
Daly said: “You can’t but say we were probably a bit surprised, especially because they had made it open that they wanted him to take the Tipperary job.
“We’re just massively thankful that he stayed on, we definitely wanted him to stay with us and to be honest, we’re just really thankful that him and Mikey Bevans did stay with us, and their backroom team.
“Liam is a breath of fresh air, himself and Mikey. Mikey is a brilliant coach and the backroom team is first class, they all have their own personalities and we’re just really enjoying it. They’re staying on for at least another year thank
God so we’re just going to enjoy every moment that we have with them because they won’t be here forever.”
Cahill blooded Daly in 2020 and handed the Lismore man his Championship debut when he came on against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final that season.
He was upgraded to first choice centre-back initially last season and appeared to be solving the problem of Tadhg de Burca’s injury-enforced absence.
But then injury struck Daly himself when he crumpled in a heap in training two days after lining out against Laois last summer.
The setback cost Daly about two months in total but it was a spell that included epic Championship wins over Galway and Tipperary and the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Limerick.
With de Burca back fit again after a cruciate layoff, Cahill has to decide who to hand the number six jersey to this year.
This Ennis outing could shed light on the situation though UCC student Daly maintains it doesn’t have to be a straight head to head for one spot.
He said: “The way the game is going, you’re going to have to be able to play anywhere. You’re dragged all over the place by forwards. Number five, six or seven, whatever it is, you have to be able for any position at any given mo
ment.”