“Fair Play to Him” – Jason Forde on Liam Cahill’s bold sweeper call in All-Ireland Final

Jason Forde believes Tipperary’s improved fitness was key to their shock All-Ireland success this year. The Silvermines forward credited athletic performance coach Angelo Walsh for helping the squad stay injury-free, while also praising Liam Cahill and Mikey Bevans for restoring his confidence after a dip in form in 2024.

Tipperary’s use of a sweeper in the All-Ireland final against Cork raised eyebrows, but Forde said it was smart, situational management. Cahill had publicly ruled out using such a tactic days earlier, but Bryan O’Mara lined out in the role to nullify Cork’s lethal attack.

“Liam did say, and it probably threw people off maybe that week, that a Liam Cahill team never played with a plus-one,” Forde said. “It’s just shrewd management and fair play to Liam for doing it. Next year I’m sure it’ll revert back to 15-on-15 for most games.”

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He added that the move wasn’t a major shock for players, given O’Mara’s experience in the role: “Bryan O’Mara has played that role for UL for a good number of years and he’s well equipped to do it because he’s such an athlete.”

Forde reflected on his strong season, capped with a third All-Ireland medal, though a goal in the final was disallowed for a square ball. “If you did end up losing by a couple of points, it probably would have been a contentious one,” he admitted, while acknowledging the rule’s roots in goalkeeper protection.

Looking ahead, the 31-year-old says he is “raring to go” again as Tipp aim for back-to-back titles for the first time since 1965. He also pointed to recent underage success as a sign of a bright future but warned: “If you take your eye off the ball in Munster, you’re going to get done. It’s a bit of a bear pit.”

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