‘We still have a job to do,’ says focused Tipp boss O’Shea

Eamon O’Shea is confident he can properly manage the three-week break before the All-Ireland senior hurling final replay against Kilkenny on September 27.

Tipperary manager O’Shea revealed when he woke on Monday morning that thoughts had immediately turned to the rematch with the Cats, following last Sunday’s epic Croke Park stalemate.

O’Shea told Tipp FM: “Even when the game ended, I was thinking we still have a job to do in three weeks. That doesn’t change when you wake up in the morning. You’re looking forward rather than looking back — but it was a great game.”

There was an added bonus for O’Shea on Monday evening when local fixtures-makers confirmed that three of the four divisional senior hurling finals, originally pencilled in for next Sunday, have been postponed.

The North final, between Burgess and Éire Óg Nenagh, will go ahead as scheduled, as there is no county representation on either club panel.

But the West, Mid and South divisional finals have been put back until after the Kilkenny replay.

Speaking before Tipperary CCC officials confirmed the changes, county board chairman Sean Nugent acknowledged: “We feel now that we’re in a different situation than we were after winning against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final.”

County board officials received some criticism after allowing divisional semi-finals to go ahead just a fortnight before the All-Ireland final, when all players involved came through unscathed.

But there is an unwillingness to take the same chance again, even if Tipp will now struggle to provide representatives for the Munster club championships on time.

Nugent will now seek discussions with Munster Council officials in an attempt to find some common ground on provincial club fixtures.

The Tipperary county champions are due to play either the Clare or Waterford kingpins in the Munster senior club hurling semi-final on November 9.

And with the next three weekends now lost because of the All-Ireland final replay on September 27, Tipp are facing a race against time to provide a champion in time.

It may have to come down to a situation where Tipp are forced to nominate a club to compete.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Kilkenny players and management did not attend the post-match reception in the players’ lounge situated in the bowels of the Hogan Stand.

Traditionally, players from both sides mingle there after big games but Kilkenny headed straight for the team bus, and stayed there, as Tipperary availed of light refreshments.

Wives and girlfriends of the Kilkenny players were present at the post-match event but left when it became clear that their partners would not be joining them.