Brendan Maher defends his club’s role in tweet criticising Michael Ryan
Maher revealed that the sender of the tweet, which was subsequently removed, rang him later to apologise.
Borris-Ileigh drew with Roscrea in the county SHC on Saturday and that result was good enough to seal a spot in the latter stages of the competition.
Maher and fellow Tipperary panellist Paddy Stapleton did not play for Borris-Ileigh in the Roscrea fixture after picking up injuries training with the county squad last week.
But Maher, who’s expected to partner Michael Breen at midfield against Cork on Sunday week, insisted that he will be fit to play.
And he described the tweet sent from the club’s account as “a heat of the moment thing.” Maher added: “The tweet obviously had nothing to do with me and it wasn’t my view, I think it was just a personal opinion, a heat of the moment thing.
“I rang the person responsible. He was venting his frustration but it should have been done from his own personal account rather than Borris-Ileigh.
“It didn’t reflect the view of Borris-Ileigh GAA. He rang me to apologise but it doesn’t really bother me.
“It’s not my view, it’s just something that happened. It was up, he took it down but it was too late really then, wasn’t it?” Maher smiled.
The 2010 All-Ireland winner confirmed that his hamstring injury should be recovered sufficiently in time for him to train at the weekend.
Maher said: “It feels good, a lot better than I thought it was going to be. It’s a hamstring strain, something I’ve never really had before so I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take.
“But I’m happy with the way it is now and I’m hoping to train at the weekend.” Tipperary coach Declan Fanning, speaking at last night’s Munster championship launch in Cashel, also confirmed that Loughmore-Castleiney star John McGrath should return to training this evening.
McGrath, who scored six points from play in the Allianz League quarter-final loss to champions Clare, aggravated an existing hamstring injury recently but is on course for a senior championship debut against the Rebels.
But promising Nenagh Éire Óg wing back Barry Heffernan is a doubt with concussion.
Heffernan was forced off in the League meeting with Cork after shipping a heavy blow and he took another knock to the head on club duty recently.
Fanning said: “We don’t know yet. The experts will be telling us this week, we have to wait and see.
“He had a couple of nice games for us, he’s tall, good in the air and he has a great attitude.
“We’ll be disappointed if we don’t have him but we’ll see.” Fanning also had his say on ‘Tweet-gate’, admitting that he can understand the Borris-Ileigh official’s point of view.
Fanning said: “I saw the tweet from Borris-Ileigh. I can totally understand where they’re coming from.
“The main thing is Borris-Ileigh got through and that’s what I’d be saying. “They’re in the next round of the county championship and they got through without Paddy and Brendan.
“There’s a lot of clubs in the county who would be delighted to be where Borris-Ileigh are now.
“The boys were very unlucky to pick up small injuries last Thursday night and couldn’t tog out for their club at the weekend. There was nothing else to it — it could have happened to any of the players.”
Meanwhile, Limerick boss TJ Ryan is waiting for confirmation on the severity of the injury sustained by Na Piarsaigh defender Mike Casey against Kilmallock on Sunday evening.
Casey was injured as the All-Ireland club kingpins suffered a first round defeat in the county championship.
Ryan said: “The only injury I know of right now is that Mike Casey picked up an injury for Na Piarsaigh and had to go off. It’s definitely a lower leg injury, a calf injury. The severity of it I don’t know. I think it’s an old injury.” Limerick will face the winners of the Tipp-Cork clash in the Munster SHC semi-final on June 19.
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