‘Tipperary won't be out of the equation for too long’ – Séamus Callanan feels Tipp will feel some pain for a while

Things took a disastrous downward spiral for Tipperary this season, but Premier hurling legend Séamus Callanan is adamant the wheel will quickly turn for the Premier again.

Callanan, who captained Tipp to All-Ireland glory in 2019, didn’t miss the county scene this season, having retired after 16 years in blue and gold, but it was “difficult” to see those he soldiered with endure a winless Munster round-robin campaign.

“When you’re at the likes of the Cork match there, where things just went so badly, you feel for everyone involved,” he said. “The management, the players, you know how much everyone puts in and you have huge respect for everyone inside there.

“I soldiered with so many of them and they’ve given so much to set-ups I’ve been in. It’s not nice to see that and there’s nobody going out there for that to happen so that was very difficult. You just feel for everyone out there because we’ve had those days as well. There’s nobody immune to those days and when it happens, it’s so hard to turn it around.”

The 2019 Hurler of the Year doesn’t expect Tipp to be in the doldrums for long, however, given their underage record with an Electric Ireland MHC final against Kilkenny to come on Saturday. “I don’t think Tipp will be out of the equation for too long. There’s plenty of hurlers in Tipperary, so I’ve no doubt the wheel will turn again.

“Everyone judges it on, do the seniors win an All-Ireland every year and that’s where it’s judged. But there’s a lot of positive things and teams coming through. Tipp won’t be out of the reckoning for too long.”

There has been some pressure on manager Liam Cahill, given their dismal season, but Callanan expects him to see out his three-year term and continue building for the future.

“I can’t see there being any changes or anything like that. They have their plan and I’m sure they’re going back now looking at the club championship and trying to put it together,” the four-time All-Star said.

“They used nearly 40 players in the league, they got a very good look at everyone. Maybe this year was for that, to see what they have then for next year and to be able to tighten it up. Look, Liam is very capable.

“And he’s shown that with Waterford, he’s shown it with the Tipp 20s and with the Tipp minors. There is a transition phase here and people have to be realistic about it.

“It’s going to come to a stage, and it’s come to that stage now, where there might be a little bit of pain for a year or two, just to get people back into the set-up, and get young players into the set-up. And get them the experience to drive on again.”

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