Laffan lauds perseverance of club-men McGrath’s

By Stephen Barry

Declan Laffan has hailed his clubmate John McGrath for his persistence in overcoming a nightmare injury.

The Loughmore/Castleiney dangerman tore his Achilles against Clare in 2022, and the effects were long-lasting. But 2025 has seen McGrath recover his attacking heights as Tipp’s top scorer from play, burying 4-12 in six games.

“People don't really understand how serious an injury that Achilles is,” said Laffan.

“We talk about cruciates, and they are terrible injuries, but an Achilles is a good bit worse. It just takes so long for the body to heal.

“It probably took him two years before you looked at him running, and he wasn't limping, almost trying to mind it.

“I would also say he's probably gained half a yard of pace back this year, too. Confidence gives you that.”

The experience of John’s older brother Noel will be equally crucial against Kilkenny, whether from the start or off the bench.

“He has a hurling brain second to none,” Laffan revealed.

“Not everybody can come into the heat of battle ten minutes into the second half, and he's just able to pick it up straight away. He knows where to go. That's experience that does that for you. “I'd shudder to think of the mileage them boys have clocked up if you go back to their youth.

“They've been dual players all their lives, and the mainstay of every team they've been on. To consistently keep doing that and not break down, that's just a credit to them.”

Laffan also hailed corner-back Robert Doyle for his immediate impact at senior level. He sat out the 2024 campaign, but has tagged the likes of Tony Kelly, Dessie Hutchinson, and Alan Connolly in his rookie year.

At club level, Doyle plays as an inside forward for Clonoulty/Rossmore, and scored three goals in three games last autumn.

“Robert is his own man, and he's been a revelation,” Laffan added.

“I'm not going to say he didn’t need a bit of coaxing (to join the panel). I think he just had other things that he wanted to do first.

“He was the under-20 full-back two years ago, so we always saw him as a back, but the beauty is if he has to follow somebody off up the field, we're waiting for him to score a few points now.

“Hopefully, he'll turn over someone and hurt them going the other way.”

Laffan feels that Tipperary’s conditioning is the key difference to transform their winless 2024 season into 2025 All-Ireland contenders under Liam Cahill.

“The public perception of Liam is that he flogs his teams, and look, let the public think what they like,” Laffan continued.

“We probably didn't get it right last year. We probably tapered it back a little bit too much. We maybe suffered in the latter end of games where teams just pulled away from us and we just hadn't it in the lungs to stay with them.

“It's a fine balance getting it right, and it's even the same coming into big games like this, how you tailor training during the week that you don't end up flat. Do you do an hour? Do you do 40 minutes?

“Everything has to be tailored properly, and that's where your S&C guys have come in and laid down the law and make sure that we don't overcook lads.”