Tipperary’s hurlers are, somewhat understandably, sick of hearing about last year’s semi-final defeat to Kilkenny.
Shane McGrath, however, is equally disinterested in talking about Tipp’s win over Kilkenny in this year’s league season. It’s all in the past, and as far McGrath is concerned that’s where it needs to stay.
Speaking with Newstalk’s Oisin Langan, the Tipp captain said:
“The victory over Kilkenny wasn’t any different to the victory over Galway or the victory over Clare the last day. We still got two points for it, there wasn’t anything different.
“On the outside people are looking in going ‘Oh it’s great, Tipp beat Kilkenny’.
“All this craic about what happened last year in Croke Park, which is ridiculous in my opinion, people just really got hung up on it. It doesn’t make any difference to us; it was just another game, another league game we had to win.”
Speaking specifically about the lingering talk of last year’s semi-final defeat, McGrath said:
“People get hung up on it. It’s in the past.
“All the panel have moved on. Anyone that’s still thinking about it is just living in the past to be honest.
“We put it behind us very quickly. It hasn’t been brought up at all this year really, it’s just been brought up by people on the outside.”
Tipperary have looked a reinvigorated side this year with as a defeat to Cork was followed by several impressive victories. McGrath explained that a renewed confidence, along with a sense of intense competition in the squad, has brought about better performances.
“We’re enjoying it at the moment.
“Lads are enjoying their hurling and I think bar the hiccup against Cork things have been going OK for us.
“The winning breeds a bit of confidence. The confidence is good at the moment”
“People say you learn more from losing than you do from winning. We definitely learned a lot about ourselves from the Cork game
“Thankfully we got a couple of results immediately afterwards just to lift the whole thing and to life the fans as well.
“We haven’t changed as hurlers since the Cork game. We were just blown away that night by a far better cork team.
“Lads know if they’re standing still on the pitch there’s a better lad on the sideline or there’s someone waiting to come in who’s willing to work harder than they are. Lads know if they’re not performing there’s someone waiting to come on and take the jersey back off them.”
McGrath also spoke with Oisin about his role as captain, his pre-game rituals and how he feels about heading to Nowlan Park for a chance to lift the league trophy in their great rivals back yard.
