Chairman urges caution after minor success
Mr Morris was speaking at the annual convention of the Tipperary Football Board in Horse & Jockey last night, where the Tom Markham Cup took pride of place and was the first major All-Ireland football trophy present in the 29-year history of the board following Tipperary’s dramatic minor final success over Dublin.
The Borrisokane native warned that Tipperary football supporters must keep their feet on the ground over transferring success to senior level, although he maintained that an attempt to win an All-Ireland title at U21 level over the next three years was an achievable target.
“We must progress as best we can but we should make a serious onslaught at trying to win an U21 All-Ireland over the next two years and build from there,” he said.
Morris also warned of the great responsibility that comes with winning an All-Ireland title and said players involved in that success must be careful of the lifestyle they choose
“Players have a responsibility not to go down the road of living off that success,” he said, referring to a similar speech made by Michael ‘Babs’ Keating in the Tipperary dressing room in 1989 when the Premier County ended their 18-year wait for an All-Ireland hurling title.
Morris was also critical of the comments made by GAA president Christy Cooney at Congress last April when he described outside managers “as a cancer running through the association.”
“Speaking for Tipperary, I don’t have to say much about what John Evans has achieved since he has been in this county,” he said, adding that Tipperary have got as much from the appointment of the Kerry native as the GAA has gotten from the millions of euros it has pumped into coaching throughout the country.
