Ronan Maher on Tipp’s hard winter: ‘Players as a group, we had to look at each other’ 

HARD WINTER: A long hard winter. Ronan Maher felt it deeply. Tipperary failed to win a game in the Munster championship last year and the noise was deafening. They had to accept it. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

A long hard winter. Ronan Maher felt it deeply. Tipperary failed to win a game in the Munster championship last year and the noise was deafening. They had to accept it.

As captain, he understands the terms. Feel the sentiment; ignore the words.

“It is a difficult one. You try as a player, especially an inter-county player, you try and block out all the outside noise,” he said.

“It's probably a skill that you have to learn over time, but definitely something I try to do is block out that.

“But living in Thurles and, especially in Tipperary, I suppose our own supporters can be tough critics and probably very understandable after last year. Not winning games in the Munster championship, it is very frustrating for everybody but definitely something you have to learn, and a skill as a player is to block that out.

“Listen, some people make it out to be a lot worse than it is. I think we've took our learnings from what went on last year as players. I suppose we had to take ownership as players and the older players on the team as well.”

There is not one particular thing to point to as explanation for their 2024 form.

“We'd probably have to look at ourselves as players, as a group. There is definitely things that we had to pick up on through the winter. There was hard conversations with everybody. Everybody took their learnings from it. Individuals probably had to look at each other. Players as a group, we had to look at each other.

“We've parked all that now. Last year is done, we're only looking forward now and I think after a good league campaign so far, it gives us good confidence, good belief there going forward.

“Listen, I'm well aware the Munster championship is going to be very, very hard as well.

“So you have to keep yourself grounded and it is really important that we keep a good consistency going forward as well. The league final is another opportunity for us to go out and try and get another win.”

Tipperary had to come together. That meant every single stakeholder. Manager Liam Cahill called on supporters to get behind his side after their opening league victory over Galway. A host of new faces impressed over the last few weeks. The players had to unite too.

“You think you are, you think you are really close and you're trying to do everything right and I suppose it's only when things start going against you, you start looking at all these things. But there's been learnings from every aspect of it.

“There's new players in there. It's a totally new panel there this year, so there is a good group of lads there. The younger lads are well tuned in. They're very mature for their age and they're showing great leadership as young lads. So listen, everybody's pulled together that bit again. We had a tough preseason as well, so all that kind of pulls it naturally closer together.” 

A sellout in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is fine prep for a huge championship campaign. Tipperary start with the visit of Limerick before away trips to Cork and Clare. Cahill asked for ‘bravery’ from their followers earlier this year, don’t wait until a day out in Croke Park to back them. Sunday is another change to give them cause to cheer.

“They can be very critical, Tipp supporters,” said Maher.

“But as long as you're going out and you're showing that there's that unity on the field, that commitment, the lads are trying hard and trying to put in good performances, Tipp supporters will back you all day.”