Darren Gleeson wants change as demands on younger players relentless

TIPPERARY’S Denis Maher has confirmed that he suffered a dislocated shoulder in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1A victory over Galway at Semple Stadium.

The combative Thurles Sarsfields attacker, who scored a point against the Tribesmen, was taken off seven minutes after half-time and looks set to miss the remainder of the League campaign.

Maher, 23, was hopeful of staking a claim for a regular place in the Tipp team, having made his senior championship debut against Limerick last June.

But he confirmed: “I’ll probably be out for a while. The shoulder is dislocated and I have to meet a specialist as soon as possible and take it from there.”

Maher’s injury adds to a growing list that also contains midfielder Shane McGrath, corner back Joe O’Dwyer and attacker Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher.

McGrath and Maher could return for Tipp’s visit to Clare on March 8 but O’Dwyer will miss out again after damaging his A/C shoulder joint in the defeat by Dublin.

Meanwhile, Tipperary goalkeeper Darren Gleeson wants the Fitzgibbon Cup schedule changed to take the load off college hurlers on county teams.

Eamon O’Shea made the point he was down to 18 players for training on some nights because of Fitzgibbon commitments and Gleeson has noted the workload on some of his teammates.

Sunday’s win over Galway was John O’Dwyer’s third game in seven days. Starting today, the likes of Kieran Bergin, playing for DIT, will have three games in five days if they are to reach Saturday’s Fitzgibbon Cup final; four in seven including the weekend gone.

“There are suggestions about starting before Christmas and a longer break, but I wouldn’t be looking into that. It’s important for lads to have their down season as well. You’re 10 months on the go, you need your six or eight weeks off before Christmas.

“I think they’re working well with the schedules within the parameters that they have. Maybe it’s the guys who are playing colleges hurling that they really need to focus in on. Maybe that’s something they should look at, the timing of the college fixtures as it affects the league preparations of county teams.”

There is no league action this weekend but four consecutive Sundays of hurling will follow if Tipperary reach the quarter-final stages. Gleeson says the demands on the younger players are relentless.

“What break is there? There is the Fitzgibbon next weekend and we have had a lot of guys involved in that over the last five or six weeks. Some of them have played three matches this week so you’re not going to get much more work into them. You’re trying to keep lads off the treatment table and on the field. That’s important.”

Off the field, Tipperary sources have indicated that county teams will continue to wear jerseys bearing the ‘Skoda’ logo until the March 15 Allianz Hurling League showdown with Kilkenny.

Premier County chiefs are putting the finishing touches to a new sponsorship deal which is expected to be launched when Kilkenny visit Semple Stadium. Elverys/Intersport are hotly tipped to fill the void left by Skoda, whose deal with Tipperary has officially terminated.

The Tipperary senior hurlers may have no competitive fixture next weekend but a glamour challenge match against neighbours Waterford has been pencilled in for Sunday at the Clonmel Sportsfield (1.0).

Tipp officials have also confirmed that they will not be appealing the one-match touchline ban handed down to senior football team manager Peter Creedon, who will watch next Sunday’s visit to Fermanagh from the stands.