Decision time looming for panel - Cahill
By Michael Heverin
Tipperary manager Liam Cahill had mixed emotions following his side’s draw with Waterford in the Munster Hurling League on Saturday – disappointed that Tipp hadn’t won to secure both points but pleased that he had given game time to 25 players.
Cahill accepted that introducing ten subs may have impacted the flow of his side in the second half, but with the start of the National League approaching in just over two weeks’ time, he was happy to get so many players on to the pitch.
“It's all about getting game time into players,” he began.
“It's that time of the year, coming to decision time leading into the National League where we'll have to tighten up our panel and tighten up our numbers.
“So, it just makes my job and the management team's job that little bit more difficult now over the next fortnight to three weeks before the start of the National League to pin down a panel that we're bringing forward with us into the National League.
“There are still a couple of more fellows there that deserve and warrant a bit of proper competitive action. And we'll do our best to give them every opportunity to stake a claim on the panel for the start of the National League.
“The month of January is creeping away. I know it's early, but it is coming at us fairly quickly and January being the start of the National League. We have a bit of work to do now to get our house in order leading into that.”
Cahill said his hope had been to beat Waterford and then hopefully beat Kerry in Tralee next Sunday and qualify for the final the following weekend a week before the start of the league.
“That was the idea but we’ll have to plan on our feet now and start thinking about not being in the Munster League final and have alternatives lined up to make sure that we are in as good a shape as possible going into the first round of the league,” he added.
On the Waterford game itself, he said: “I am a little disappointed that we didn’t take the full two points on offer but it’s preparation for the players trying to get a bit of game time and get work into the legs.
“We made quite a number of changes and it’s always leaving you that bit open and for your flow to disappear. We allowed Waterford to get a foothold midway through the second half and credit to them, they deserved to get something out of the game. They looked really fit, tenacious and strong in the tackle.”
Cahill paid tribute to Fethard Town Park for hosting the game at such short notice, and to Clonmel Sportsfield who had everything prepared for the game but couldn’t control the elements.
In relation to the injury to Alan Tynan, who had to leave the field three minutes into the second half, Cahill said it was a shoulder injury but too early to tell on how it will impact the Roscrea player.