Ken Hogan: Jackie Tyrrell revelled in Tipperary’s misery

Former Tipperary manager Ken Hogan has criticised ex-Kilkenny player Jackie Tyrrell’s reaction to the Premier County’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to Galway last Sunday.

Hogan says pundit Ger Loughnane, the former Clare boss, “showed a bit of class” when he spoke about the fight Tipp showed at Croke Park.

However, Hogan feels that Tyrrell, in contrast, was revelling in Tipp’s setback and preferring to focus on matters that might have affected the county’s chances of retaining the title won in 2016.

Hogan told Tipp FM: “Jackie Tyrrell, I think, was jumping and dancing about — he couldn’t contain his delight that Tipp didn’t do the two in a row or back-to-back. Ger Loughnane summed it up when he said Tipperary were glorious in defeat, fought like men, and threw every ounce at it.

“Ger Loughnane showed a bit of class when he acknowledged that Tipp played like champions.”

Speaking on The Sunday Game, Tyrrell insisted that Tipp must question why they haven’t managed to retain the Liam MacCarthy Cup since the mid-1960s.

He added: “It comes back to a lot of things, a lot of rumours, stuff coming out of the camp. Michael Ryan found it hard to manage that. There were a lot of rumblings coming out of Tipp that weren’t there last year.”

However, Hogan responded: “All the question marks were blown out of the water about commitment and how close the team were. They gave it everything from the very word go.

“This panel has huge respect for team management, trust in each other, and huge respect for each other.

“They’ve parked everything in their lives to give everything for the blue and gold.

“If we had one or two little pitfalls, it’s down to human error. That will be remedied in the future; people will learn those lessons and come back stronger for it.”

Hogan said it would be a “huge blow” if Ryan decides not to continue in the role for a third season.

And 2010 All-Ireland winning boss Liam Sheedy has also urged Ryan to stay on.

He said: “I’d feel Mick has unfinished business. I’d say he’s certainly the man to lead Tipperary into his third year.

“Yes, he has huge commitments but I know Carmel and his family give him huge support.

“I certainly appreciate all that he does for our county and I feel he’s heading into his third year and should definitely look and carry out the third year of his tenure.

“I would like to think I represent the genuine hurling supporters in Tipperary by saying that.”