Liam Sheedy: 'That was a tactical masterclass by Liam Cahill'

Dónal Óg Cusack added: "Pat Ryan is like Cork, Cork will find a way back."

Sun, 20 Jul, 2025 - 18:29

Andrew Horgan

Liam Sheedy has hailed the “tactical masterclass” Tipperary manager Liam Cahill produced in order to swing the All-Ireland hurling final the Premier County’s way.

Trailing by six points heading down the tunnel at half time, shortly after Shane Barrett had found the far bottom corner of the Tipp net, Cahill’s charges rallied to ultimately blitz the Rebels in the second period, where they outscored the League and Munster champions by 21 points.

“I’ve been coming here a long time, I’ve never, ever seen a performance like that, where they have outclassed THE number one team in the country coming into it,” began Sheedy, who led Tipp to All-Ireland glory in 2010 and 2019, when speaking to RTÉ.

A second half for the ages as Tipperary blow Cork away to secure 29th All-Ireland hurling title

“3-14 to two points. They say tactics don’t win matches, but to me that was a tactical masterclass by Liam Cahill.

“He got everything right, he positioned his team well, he got his two men inside and he created the consternation they got. Darragh McCarthy out and he scored 1-13 in total; I thought Tipperary had a masterclass at Croke Park today.

“But that was a massive under performance from that Cork team in those last 35 minutes. That level of performance is not something that we expect from that Cork team from what we have witnessed all year.

“So, whether it was the pressure of the All-Ireland final or what, they were a shadow of themselves in the second half.”

Former Cork goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack was keen to praise Tipp’s display in that second period and backed his former side to recover from this “heartbreaking” defeat, although he acknowledged that will be tough to do.

“To play that type of game that Tipperary played today, you have to be super fit for it,” said Cusack.

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“The sweeper will be back in fashion now over the next couple of years but all credit to him (Liam Cahill).

“It was like as if the goal before half time, you thought Cork would’ve built on that and drive on from that. It was like it had the opposite effect on it.

“The third quarter was just… the score, 2-7 to a point, Cork only got a point in the final quarter as well.

“It’s hard to imagine out of 15 shots that – there’s no point in talking about the crossbar, maybe the penalty, Alan Connolly’s chance – to score two points from 15 chances, it’s a heartbreaking defeat.

“Congratulations to Tipperary, Cork will just have to take it. They will have to wear it and get ready to walk back into the fire next year. But it’s definitely one that’s going to take a bit of time to get over.

“It’s heartbreaking. Pat’s been a real servant to Cork, every level. I’d say now he needs a bit of time to think.

“But Pat Ryan is like Cork, Cork will find a way back. It’s tough, it feels as if the winter is just going on for 20 years and we were hoping that hurling winter would finish today.

“It hasn’t but Cork will find a way back.”