Tipperary chairman backs decision to make minors choose a code

Tipperary chairman Michael Bourke has backed Liam Cahill’s stance after the county’s minor hurling team manager told prospective dual players to pick one code only for the coming season.

The dual experiment at minor level in the Premier County appears to be at an end for now as Cahill will not entertain the prospect of panel members playing both hurling and football.

And Bourke indicated that he will not interfere in the running of team affairs, stating that “it’s very hard to serve two masters at that level”.

Bourke said: “We have never told any team management in Tipperary who they can or can’t have on their panel. We entrust the job to managers and it’s their responsibility after that.”

Bourke believes that the absence of dual players on Tipperary underage squads will “become the norm” in a year or two — and he revealed that Cahill is also against minor hurlers playing other sports, such as soccer and rugby.

Bourke said: “I think it will become the norm, one code or the other. Liam Cahill was quite open about it. It wasn’t just that they weren’t playing football, they weren’t playing any other code either. It’s not just the football, it’s anything. If they were playing minor hurling, they commit to minor hurling and play with their clubs.”

Bourke believes that “the best was got out of both teams” as Tipp progressed to minor football and hurling All-Ireland finals last year — but he insisted that the presence of eight dual players in both squads affected chances of winning silverware, as both deciders were lost.

Bourke said: “I think the best was got out of both teams – and both had very good management teams. But were players able to adjust to hurling one night, football the next? It did take a huge toll and while the dual players played well, there’s a common view out there that it did affect us. It’s very hard to serve two masters.”