Liam Cahill asked by Tipperary GAA officials to take over as senior hurling manager

Waterford have also been holding discussions with Tipperary-native Cahill about extending his term

Waterford manager Liam Cahill (right) has been asked to take over from outgoing Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Tipperary GAA officials have asked Liam Cahill to become their next senior hurling manager.

The Irish Examiner understands the Waterford boss was approached late last week about succeeding Liam Sheedy from next season.

However, the Déise have also been holding discussions with Cahill about extending his term having brought them to an All-Ireland final last December and a semi-final this season on the back of beating Laois, Galway, and Tipperary in consecutive weekends. Several Waterford players have also been in touch with the Ballingarry man about remaining in charge of the team.

Cahill, 43, has yet to make a decision but is expected to inform the counties later this week. Tipperary hope the lure of taking over his native county will be enough for him and coach Michael Bevans to switch allegiances for the 2022 season and beyond.

On the back of public support for Cahill in the county, Premier County officials spoke to Cahill within days of Sheedy announcing his decision to step down last Monday. There is a strong belief he and Bevans will be able to shorten an expected transitional period as they have done with a Waterford team that didn’t win a championship game in the two years prior to them taking over.

Cahill and Bevans guided Tipperary to three under-age All-Ireland titles - the 2016 minor, the 2018 U21, and '19 U20. Cahill had been expected to take over from Michael Ryan in September 2018 only for Sheedy to return to the position after stepping away following the 2010 All-Ireland SHC success. Cahill confirmed he spoke to the board once “just to lay out a couple of little ideas, but once Liam Sheedy was in the background, I didn’t engage any further after that”. 

 

Speaking on the Irish Examiner hurling podcast, Sheedy believes Cahill is the number one candidate to claim his position. “If Liam Cahill wants to come back and take on his own it’d be a seat he’d be very welcome (to). Obviously, he knows the under-age scene and he’s done very well with Waterford too.

“If Liam wants to stay with Waterford they’d love to have him and if Liam wants to come back to his own county we’d love to have him here too. I think he’s first shot at it, he’s the one that has to make the decision, and his decision then will vacate maybe another door or two so it’s going to be an interesting time.

“It is very high powered. There is a lot of work that goes in. It’s all-consuming. Hugely enjoyable now. I loved my three years, had a ball, but there’s a whole lot that has to go in. It’s very enjoyable but a very time-consuming and energy-sapping journey.” 

It is also believed Tipperary’s five-time All-Star Brendan Cummins is being lined up to become the next U20 manager after John Devane stepped down from the role earlier this month.

Two-time All-Ireland SHC winner Cummins has twice been involved with Kerry as a coach as well as Laois. He has spoken previously about wanting to be senior manager in the future.

“Definitely at some stage down the road it’s something I want to do,” said Sunday Game panellist Cummins in 2018. “If I ever do it, I’d like to do it as taking over, all of the decisions falling on my head.

“There is a certain edge to that. I’ve been a selector in Laois, been involved in Kerry and all that. But if I’m taking on a role like that, I’d want to be one of the key decision-makers and if it goes wrong, it all falls on me. That’s the way I’d see it panning out.”