REACTION: 'You have to have a big panel' said Liam Cahill after Tipp’s League win over Galway

The logistics of playing three games in successive weeks as the Allianz National Hurling League kicks off figured prominently in Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Cahill’s post-match press interview following his side’s five-point win over Galway at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

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The Balingarry man was speaking in the context of “blooding” new players, while nursing others back to full fitness, and at the same time trying to get game time into as many of his panel as possible.

Tipperary have such as team captain Ronan Maher, Alan Tynan and Brian McGrath in recovery mode, while such as Noel and John McGrath’s preparations are being closely monitored. Jason Forde was named in the panel for Saturday’s game but did not get into the action.

On top of that, Robert Doyle and Joe Caesar picked up injuries in Saturday’s game, which probably rules them out for the trip to Tullamore this Sunday to play Offaly.

The following week Tipp are again on the road, this time to face Cork, who defeated them in the Munster and league finals last year before the Premier boys’ famous victory in the All-Ireland final.

Tipp have a break then before engaging Limerick in Semple Stadium on February 21. A trip to Waterford follows on March 8 and the programme comes to a mouth-watering conclusion on Saturday, March 21, when Kilkenny come to Semple Stadium.

Last Saturday, Cathal O’Reilly of Holycross and Jack Leamy of Golden made their senior competitive debuts in a panel which also included Adam Daly (Knockavilla), Cathal English (Fr Sheehys), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), and Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swans).

Borris-Ileigh’s Paddy McCormack, Nenagh’s Josh Keller, and St Mary’s Peter McGarry were unused subs in a squad which reflects the manager’s commitment to giving youth its chance.

Inter-county panel numbers have been a bone of contention as the cost of team preparations soar and are being questioned. Tipperary have forty-three players in training, which in some quarters might be deemed too many, and Liam Cahill acknowledged that it is “expensive” carrying such a large panel.

“It is a congested fixtures programme and you have to have a large panel. It is expensive but we are fortunate that we have great support and backing from the county board.

"We will be using quite a number of players in the league because we do not want to reintroduce too soon some who probably need another week or two before they are ready,” he said.

The win over Galway was welcomed by the manager. “We are pleased to get such a good work-out in such difficult conditions.

It was important to get that body of work into the legs and lungs of the players but from a management point of view we have to be careful how we handle it,” he added.

As to the game itself, the Balingarry man reckoned that Galway would have been disappointed not to be four or five points ahead at half-time instead of on level terms.

“We were aware that we needed to make a strong start to the second half. We did that and gave away a softish goal but I was delighted with our reaction to it as we kicked on after that to win.”

Tipperary, once the National Hurling League specialists, have not lifted the trophy since 2008. It’s too early to be making predictions. There is a lot of hurling yet to be done but the All-Ireland champions have started well in their bid to bridge the eighteen-year gap.