'Hopefully I'll get to see out the term' - Liam Cahill preaches patience ahead of fresh three-year stint as Tipp boss
19 July 2026; Liam Cahill of the 2001 Tipperary All-Ireland winning team as the Jubilee team were introduced to the crowd before the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Galway and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Tipperary manager Liam Cahill has urged patience among supporters, stressing his fresh three-year term in charge of the county's senior hurlers is a project where youthful promise will be prioritised. However, Cahill says Tipp won't neglect the short term and hopes some silverware can be added along the way to more consistent competitiveness.
Having been All-Ireland champions in 2025, Tipperary failed to progress from Munster this season. But the county board announced a new term with Cahill this week and with U20 and minor All-Irelands banked in recent seasons, the talent supply looks strong.
Cahill was in Croke Park last Sunday where he was part of the jubilee 2001 Tipp All-Ireland winning team introduced to the crowd before the All-Ireland final. And he was in Templetouhy on Friday night, where Moycarkey Borris stunned champions Loughmore-Castleiney in the Tipperary SHC opener.
Before that game, Cahill spoke to Clubber TV of his excitement at the Tipp journey ahead.
"Three more years, hopefully I'll get to see out the term. But really delighted, excited to get going again. Obviously the start of the club championship is huge here and it kind of brings everything back to starting again."
Cahill's long term commitment to the Tipperary post was evident earlier in the month when he was present in Nenagh at the launch of a new five-year strategic plan for Tipperary GAA.
"Yeah, really delighted with the vision of the County Board as well and the executive to put a new plan in place and really try to go after making us really competitive again over the next three years and obviously going after it as quick as we can here in 2027 also."
Cahill praised Tipperary U20 manager, Brendan Cummins, who stepped down recently, and minor boss James Woodlock, though he stressed it will take time to integrate young players, with new champions Limerick providing an unforgiving yardstick.
"Brendan has done a super job over the last five years. Obviously James as well at minor level.
"But again, the step up is huge. Let's call it as it is. We have really good individual young players in Tipperary. It's trying to integrate them into what we saw in Croke Park last Sunday. That's the gauge. That's where the level is at.
"Some of these guys are going to take a little bit of time. It's going to take a lot of work, a bit of patience as well. I know in Tipperary it's something that we're not really blessed with.
"Having said that, we understand that it's a results-driven business as well. Our objective is to integrate as many as we can of those successful minor and under-20 winning teams, players into our senior squad and really go after it in 2027.
"It's a huge responsibility but I'm really proud that the county board and the majority of the people in Tipperary have the belief that we're capable of doing that."
Amid speculation about a shakeup to his backroom team, Cahill stressed that long-term right-hand man Michael Bevans will continue to lead the coaching setup.
"Michael Bevans will continue to coach the team from a leading coach perspective. Mikey and I have worked together for quite some time and we're really looking forward now to really going after this new conveyor belt of talent that's coming through and integrating it into the senior set up.
"Really making that, I suppose, transition from under-20 to senior a real priority now over the next three years. Get us back really competitive in 2027. Obviously silverware comes along the way, albeit the better, but we have a three-year term now to really see can we deliver consistent performances in Tipperary and ultimately deliver the ultimate again over that period of time."
With coach David Herrity departed to Henry Shefflin's Kilkenny backroom, Cahill had been linked with Laois coach Aidan Stakelum, currently managing Holycross-Ballycahill. Stakelum previously worked successfully with many of Tipp's youngsters at Thurles CBS.
"The background team hasnt been fully pinned down as yet," Cahill added. "But Aidan's name has been mentioned and obviously it is something that appeals to him.
"But I'm really conscious as well that he's involved with Holycross at the moment and we want him to let him go about his business with Holycross over the next couple of weeks and months. But yeah, the possibility is there of Aidan Stakelum joining our set up, which is really exciting.
"His record speaks for itself. He has a lot of underage success with a lot of these players that are coming through. James Woodlock and Brendan Cummins as well. So I think it's a bit of consistency and continuity again to really try and make what needs to happen to get these fellas up to the level required."
Cahill hopes too he can identify one or two more mature players from the club scene who might have missed out at underage, though he knows club form isn't always a reliable barometer.
"We always love to try and find that rough diamond there that maybe hasn't had that exposure but could still do a job for Tipperary.
"We can get it wrong too. Club hurling can fool you a little bit.
"You see a guy maybe scoring the lights out here tonight and you put him in against a Kyle Hayes or a Sean Finn and it's a different story.
"But if you're a performer for your club, you have to be given that opportunity to be in among the best players in the county and at least get an opportunity to wear that jersey, albeit at the pre-season side of the year, to see can you progress up to the level that's required.
"So, really looking forward to going after that and hopefully a few players will put their hand up as well."
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
