Liam Cahill: 'Everybody’s singing off the same hymn sheet'

Eoghan Connolly of Tipperary and manager Liam Cahill. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Liam Cahill’s final whistle release of emotion was most understandable. Turning to the main stand, fists clenched, he leapt into their summer of promise and restored pride.

748 days after he’d come to Ennis and scored a first championship victory as Tipp manager, Cahill had finally presided over a second Munster championship win. 

A defining fixture for him, for Tipperary, and their season had produced a stirring display of goals, defiance, more goals, and an unlikely late surge.

“It's been difficult enough, to be honest, to navigate over the last two and a half years,” said Cahill of the many setbacks endured en route to this season-extending victory.

“There's been little bits of progression, there's been introduction of new players, but it takes time and it's still very early for a lot of these guys. It's still very much a case of this squad and our flagship team in Tipp finding its way. Today is a big push on that.

“Everybody’s singing off the same hymn sheet. Today was a defining game obviously for our season. For me as well, it was important at the end of it that the green shoots continued to prosper today.

“That’s really what it was. It’s just a little bit of a reassurance that while it’s not perfect, we’re still doing our best to go in the right direction.” 

Tipp led by 12 approaching the half hour. It was the second time in this championship that Clare found themselves 12 adrift. They recovered against Cork to take a point. They recovered here to restore parity on 63 minutes. 

But unlike against Cork, Clare were unable to hit the front and force the opposition to respond from behind.

“Very, very important, especially up here and especially from a psychological point of view,” Cahill said of not allowing Clare assume pole position coming down the stretch.

“Old warriors, John McGrath, young Kenneally popping up at the vital stage to keep that little margin adrift. I'm really proud of the way that the players today in Tipperary fought right to the end and showed unbelievable character and togetherness.

“They kept their nerve, continued to make good decisions on the ball and ground out a really important result for us to keep the championship hopes alive. We're really delighted to be still in the Munster Championship. That was what it was about today.

“The challenge now is to recover well and pick ourselves back up for a really formidable Waterford side that are full of energy coming to Thurles next Sunday, so the tasks just get bigger and bigger.” 

Tipp had forged 12 clear approaching the half hour because of four goals taken against a Clare defence lacking key personnel in John Conlon, Conor Cleary, and Diarmuid Ryan, lacking overall sharpness, and lacking obvious match fitness in the case of the 20th minute pulled-Conor Leen.

“Against Limerick, we got maybe four, converted two. The bottom line is we hadn't gone after it enough. It's something that's back in our mindset now that we have to take these opportunities when they arise.

“Today, we were fortunate enough to convert four and create maybe one or two more. We need all of that again next week if we are to have any luck of staying in this championship.” 

They could do, as well, with their support turning out after two successive games where the Premier were significantly outnumbered in the stands.