Mikey Breen: 'Twelve months ago you were walking down the street ducking and diving'

THAT'S MY BOY: Irish Olympian, Sharlene Mawdsley celebrates Tipp's All-Ireland success with her boyfriend, Premier corner back Michael Breen after Sunday's decider at Croke Park. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

A third All-Ireland for Michael Breen but this is the sweetest, the Ballina man insisted.

“This is really sweet. 16 and 19 were brilliant, but I’d never seen the colour around the county, that we had this year.” 

The turnaround in 12 months is stark, from bottom of Munster to All-Ireland champions.

“Twelve months ago you were walking down the street ducking and diving, you don’t want the conversations.” Yet he doesn’t think this is as wide a leap as people might suggest.

“We can believe it. We’re never too far away. If there is a few things off if you’re off a yard, you're in the bottom of Munster.

“Hurling has never been an issue in Tipperary, maybe the lungs and the legs, but when we get that right.. And it all came together today. “ Shane Barrett’s goal before half-time deflated Tipp, after a first half where profligacy had them playing catchup.

“We had most of the possession, we had more shots. We had been reasonably well set up defensively. We were reasonably happy. We knew we had to mind the ball more.

“That’s the way we train all year. Last year we tried to do it but didn't execute it.” Today, in the second half they executed everything well, not least Darragh McCarthy, who took everything in his stride.

“Coming up on the bus, he was just playing games on his phone. We all kept talking about enjoying the moment.”

They will enjoy this moment for a long time.