Liam Cahill says decision to drop players from Tipperary hurling panel was 'difficult'
At Him By Photo Tipperary Liam Sit In Pitch Lack Of Said Well The Spirit Mídheach/sportsfile Cahill Times Hurling Manager With Piaras On ó His Side's 2024 Didn't
Liam Cahill said Noel McGrath committing to the Tipperary hurling squad for a 17th season in 2025 is a "big boost" for him. "It also reinforces the confidence Noel McGrath has in myself and this management team that we're on the right path to trying to turn the tide here in Tipperary," Cahill told Tipp FM's Across the Line.
While McGrath will be involved with Tipperary next year, others will not. Some due to decisions by management, such as Cathal Barrett and Barry Heffernan, while others like Mark Kehoe have decided to spend time travelling.
"We've been blessed in Tipperary for quite a number of years with generational players and unfortunately time doesn't stand still," said Cahill.
"It moves on and I look at everything... these decisions are difficult. I have a lot of huge respect for every player that has put on a Tipperary jersey. I as a manager have to make sure that we're doing right by the squad going forward heading into 2025 and that we have the right players that have shown their form through their club (season) to be able to put their hands up to play for Tipperary.
"A few decisions there from players, deciding to travel, they're all personal decisions they have to make themselves and we respect that but it's not a place for the faint-hearted anymore as regards what's required to play at this level and we need to make sure that everybody is fully, 100% committed to be able to do what's required to come to the levels that are needed."
Cahill added that Seamus Kennedy, who suffered a serious knee injury during a league clash with Limerick in March, is already back in full training.
Tipperary get their Allianz Hurling League campaign underway against Galway on January 26th. Cahill wants to use the league to "get the Tipperary public back behind us again".
"We understand that it's very much a results-driven game and supporters have to see performances; let's call it as it is, performances better than they were from us to get them back into the stands," said Cahill.
One of the lessons Cahill learnt from this year was the need to be more certain about his starting team by the end of the league. He wants to "make sure that it's not a case of us travelling to Nowlan Park towards the middle of the league with seven or eight different changes".
"If that's happening, you'd have to feel that we'd be in trouble," said Cahill, who wants 12 or 13 of his starting team nailed down by Tipperary's opening championship game.
Asked about his ambitions for 2025, Cahill said they have to show "that Tipperary spirit that maybe wasn't there as often as we'd like it to be last year. That's something that really hasn't sat with me at all after the year we've had in 2024.
"The key is to be ready for the first round of the championship in Thurles against Limerick. Let's try and get that coveted five points and try and get out of that death trap that is Munster and get into the latter stages of the championship. That's our goal definitely to be one of the three to come out of the group in Munster this year for sure."