League final loss derailed our year, it was massive SAYS TIPPERARY’S BRENDAN MAHER
GAA KILKENNY v TIPPERARY, 3.30PM
The reigning All-ireland champions looked to be cruising to what would have been a first League medal for almost all the players.
But a heavy defeat to Galway turned out to be the start of a stormy spell that included a Championship defeat to Cork and an internal dispute.
Cathal Barrett was dumped off the panel for disciplinary reasons and it wasn’t until later in the summer that Tipp finally got it going again.
Maher told Irish Sunday Mirrorsport: “The League final was a big hit I’d agree. We had trained very hard during the League.
“We just plateaued and hit the wall and we were dead on our feet by the time we came to that final. We didn’t ap- proach it in the right way. We thought we could stay training flat out up to it and win it but we got caught and it hit us hard.
“We failed to recover fully, Cork beat us by a couple of points in Munster then. We grinded and fought hard and I thought we did well to get back to the All-ireland semi-finals and give it a good run. We were just beaten by the puck of a ball in the end. But yeah, that League final defeat did knock us back.”
Seamus Callanan is the only current Tipp player with a League medal from 2008 but he’s currently injured so a win would be new territory for all involved.
Experienced midfielder Maher said: “Seamus was part of the panel back then but the older brigade in the group would mostly have come along in 2009.
“So for this crop this our fifth League final and we have lost four up to now, three against Kilkenny and last year against Galway. So we will be hoping to put an end to that run.”
Kilkenny beat Tipp in the 2009, 2013 and 2014 League finals but the tables have turned now as the Cats are surprise finalists.
Maher said: “I don’t think there is any myth in it, Kilkenny have just been better than us over the last decade. And they have been better than every other team too over the last decade.
“I don’t think there is any myth or secret about that. It’s just been a case that they have been an unbelievable team and we have ran them close on several occasions but they have just been too good for us on those occasions.
“We had the wins over them in 2010 and 2016 too and a number of League games in between. But essentially they have the record over us, it’s 6-2 in finals with one draw. We are hoping to make it 6-3 now.”
Maher personally is benefiting from a career change having moved from teaching to a job in PR.
He said: “I haven’t made up my mind if I will go back in a couple of years’ time. I have the flexibility of taking up to five years if I want to. It’s great to be able to do it – it’s one of the perks of teaching.”
irishsport@trinitymirror.com