Master McGrath to be Premier star

TIPPERARY’S All Star midfielder Shane McGrath claims namesake Noel is the best young hurler in the country.

Still only 18, and making his senior championship debut yesterday, Noel McGrath lit up Thurles with three superb points from play in the opening half.

The Loughmore- Castleiney star also set up an early score for Séamus Callanan and Shane McGrath reflected: “I can’t speak highly enough of Noel. When anybody asks me who the best young hurler in Ireland is, I have no doubts in saying Noel McGrath. He stepped up to the plate and was like a fella playing his seventh or eighth championship season.”

Shane also paid tribute to another championship debutant Pádraic Maher, who belied his 20 years with an assured display in the half back line. As Conor O’Mahony succumbed to lack of match fitness in the second half, Maher held the line magnificently in the centre towards the finish.

McGrath said: “Pádraic Maher, what can you say? Conor’s not fully right yet, he had to go off, but Paudie stepped in and played like he was below on the training field with his club.

“He was hitting great ball into the forwards and it just shows strength of depth in the panel. These guys have won things at underage level, All-Irelands. They know what it takes to win big games and they have come on and helped us hugely.”

McGrath insisted Tipperary were anticipating a massive challenge from Cork and the dynamic midfielder revealed: “I haven’t been as tired in a long time after a game. It was a very physical and tough game.”

The Ballinahinch clubman admitted he was worried when Cork came with a strong second-half surge to whittle away Tipp’s seven-point advantage.

McGrath said: “Every team has their purple patch. Cork hit theirs with a bang, popping balls over the bar and getting the confidence back. But we said to ourselves we’re going to finish strong in the last ten minutes in most games and we’re happy with how we did finish.”

McGrath is confident the league final against the Cats and the Cork game will stand the Munster champions in good stead.

He explained: “Kilkenny was a tough game but that was the league. Cork was up another couple of levels, played at championship pace. Kilkenny and Cork – we couldn’t have asked for two tougher games against two teams who have led the way in All-Ireland glory.”

McGrath’s fellow All Star O’Mahony insisted that he had no quibbles about being taken off. The Newport man was laid low with mumps towards the end of the National League campaign and is still working his way back to full fitness.

O’Mahony revealed: “I talked to Liam (Sheedy) during the week and he said to go for as long as I could. I was training well enough, I was happy enough with how it went. Of course you’d like to finish, but we have five or six lads to come in and finish the job, so I had no problem coming ashore.”