HE FAMOUSLY PLOTTED a route for Tipperary through the hurling backdoor in 2010 and Liam Sheedy must try to take his charges on a similar journey nine years on after a tough afternoon yesterday in the Gaelic Grounds.

Tipperary suffered a 12-point loss to Limerick as they came up short in their pursuit of Munster honours yet Sheedy feels his side can rebound.

“Of course it is a worry and we only have two weeks to turn it around but turn it around we will. There is a very, very good dressing room in there. There is a very, very committed bunch. They are hurting right now but for us the healing process starts this evening.

“We have got to think about two weeks’ time and meeting significant opposition in an All-Ireland quarter-final. Previously, you could have found yourself when you would have been out of the competition, we now have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to. That is going to be our sole focus from tomorrow morning on.”

Two points in arrears at the break, it was a chastening second-half for Sheedy’s team but he felt Tipperary had not got into their stride in the opening period either.

“Probably didn’t flow in the first half either if we were to be honest. We went in losing by two points, probably still in the game. They got a few early scores in the second half, goal gave us a bit of a life-line. They went six ahead again.

“We got the chance, Seamie (Callanan) very unlucky, shot saved that could have brought it back to three. But ultimately Brian Hogan was the busier of the two goalies all the way through. We just didn’t really find our flow today. You have to credit Limerick for that.

“They brought all the energy, we lacked energy in every sector of the pitch. Brendan Maher and Ronan Maher in front of me were outstanding all day. But ultimately we lost too many individual battles. Therefore, overall we lost the war. When they start to get away on you, the crowd and there’s a green wave coming at you in Limerick it’s a hard tide to stem. We had lost the energy.” 

“We knew they would up it a gear. But they went up a fair few gears today. They just seemed to have more energy than us on the pitch. My lads, overall in Munster, four times they have gone to battle, and four times they have done very well. Just today we came up short, but we came up well short.

“Look, they’re a very good side but we are better than what we showed today. We’re delighted with the fact we’ll get a chance to rectify that. The All-Ireland series starts now.

“In fairness to this group, anything asked to do since November, they have gone about their business really well. It’s a low day today but the people of Tipperary will stand behind this team and we’ll look to go again another day.”

Sheedy also spoke about the loss of defender Cathal Barrett after it was announced just before throw-in that he would not start with Seamus Kennedy introduced to start.

“Yeah, it was touch and go. He trained full on Friday night but there was the risk with fatigue that he would end up doing damage and if he does damage you run the risk of him being gone from the championship.

“We weighed it up and we decided against it late on. But you have to say Brendan Maher what a player, what a contribution from him. I thought the way he went for that ball in the inside line was a joy to watch the ball as coming in a lot and he did heroically.”

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