Shane McGrath: Tipperary must adapt to modern game

Former Tipperary captain McGrath hailed the selflessness of outgoing manager Liam Sheedy

Outgoing Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy. Picture: INPHO/Brian Reilly-Troy

Former Tipperary captain Shane McGrath has hailed the selflessness of outgoing manager Liam Sheedy.

The Portroe man has stepped down following his second three-year term. Whereas he ended his first spell with an All-Ireland title in 2010, the 51-year-old began this latest time in charge with an All-Ireland in 2019.

As Waterford manager Liam Cahill appears favourite for the position, McGrath, who won an All-Ireland and one of his two All Stars under Sheedy, senses the outgoing boss realised he had brought the team as far as he could.

“He came back for the three-year stint, won the All-Ireland in the first year,” he said.

“Last year was difficult, and this year was again. Maybe we’ll realise now the game has changed and we have to get a team to suit the game. Liam wouldn’t have taken this decision lightly. He would have asked himself: ‘Am I the best man to bring Tipperary on?’

“It’s not about Liam. I hate it when people say: ‘Liam Sheedy is about himself’. I know what Liam has done for me and for others. The very last thing Liam Sheedy is thinking about is himself.

“It’s been a difficult few days, as we have lost a second legend of the game in the space of a few days, and we will likely see more head the way of Brendan Maher.”

Not being able to engage with people during the pandemic as he would have liked upset Sheedy’s management, McGrath argues.

“Liam is a brilliant man-manager, a people person, and he needs to meet people for a coffee, lunch, before training,” he said.

“He lost that human interaction during Covid. You get a great buzz talking to Eamon O’Shea, and that was missing too.

“They didn’t get to know as many new players as they would have liked. They’d see them at games, but you can’t judge a lad solely on that. They have to come in and mark one of the top guys in a training game. I feel they would have given them starts if they were going well in training. There’s a difference between wanting young lads to step up and the young lads actually stepping up.

“The jump from minor then to U20 then to senior is massive. Off the top of my head, the only two players who looked like senior hurlers from minor level were Eoin [Kelly] and Noel [McGrath], and they were generational players.”

McGrath believes one of the favourites for the role, Liam Cahill, might stay on in Waterford although outgoing coach and selector Darragh Egan will be another candidate.

“Liam Cahill has done unbelievable work over the last five or six seasons with all the teams he’s been involved with,” said McGrath.

“Would Liam look at Waterford and think: ‘I might get Tadhg de Búrca back, I might get Stephen O’Keeffe back, maybe Pauric Mahony too. I could have my full panel available next year.’

“A Munster final and maybe an All-Ireland final would be within their sights in 2022.

“If Liam comes in as Tipp manager, it would mean big changes, because he will want to bring his own thing to it. Some of the current backroom team mightn’t be kept on.

“Darragh has massive experience and respect from all the players the way he does things and what he has done with his club Kiladangan.

“I’m best friends with Darragh, and it would be a big step-up for him from being a coach to actual manager and everything that goes with that.

“Tipp have a proud tradition of not going outside Tipp for a manager, and I don’t think that is going to change, because there are enough good people in the county.”