Limerick coming in under the radar, says focused Maher

He is a celebrated star who has stockpiled All-Ireland medals but Padraic Maher has another inter-county competitor vying for his position.

His younger brother, Ronan, slipped on the number 5 jersey for Tipperary minors’ opening Munster clash against Kerry last month, promotion to inter-county ranks coming on the back of solid displays with Thurles Sarsfields and Thurles CBS.

“He’s involved now for the first time with the minors this year. It’s hectic enough at home. I let him do his own thing. I don’t really interfere at all.”

Maher has enough on his own plate. He will be immersed in the Munster SHC tomorrow and while rapidly becoming a seasoned campaigner, the presence of Limerick in the opposition corner provides a fresh twist.

“We played them in an All-Ireland semi-final a couple of years ago but not in Munster. But watching them back in ’07, ’06 and ’05 just shows what the Munster championship is.

“It took replays a couple of the years and the matches were tight. They’re coming in under the radar, kind of like ourselves, and it has the makings of a great game.”

Tipperary enter the game a little unsure of themselves. Last September’s All-Ireland final loss and last month’s league semi-final defeat have created fresh doubt. And yet Maher argues he has known difficult times before.

“The first league campaign we had in 2010 was only okay and 2011 wasn’t great either. In fact, this year’s league was probably our best for a while if you take out the Kilkenny game and then the semi-final against Cork. We’re not too far away coming into the championship. After a championship defeat, I’d be in bad form because you put so much into it. But a league defeat like the one to Cork, you just look at it and say ‘we didn’t manage to move up a gear at all’. It was hard to take because it was a league semi-final against Cork. At half-time we were flat and knew we had to pick it up but we didn’t for some reason.”

There is a clear enthusiasm in Maher’s approach ahead of a new season. He managed to enjoy a hiatus from hurling last winter, free from underage commitments as a 22-year-old and free from club commitments with Thurles Sarsfields having an earlier than usual exit from the county championship. The sight of a familiar face in the Tipperary dressing-room last week enthused him even more.

“It’s great to have Larry [Corbett] back. For a while there it wasn’t looking great, he wasn’t going to come back. We just took it that he was gone and got on with our own business.

“I’d talk to him the odd time. We’re in the same club and I might bump into him in the town or whatever. That would be it though. I wouldn’t be wrecking his head asking him to come back or anything.

“But everyone from the manager down is delighted to have him back. He came in Tuesday night and it was as if he was never gone. It’s going to be a while until he’s right obviously, we’re three or four months ahead of him in terms of training. He’s going to have to fight for his jersey like everybody else, he’s not going to get nothing too easy.”