Tipperary boss called on GAA to review Tailteann Cup format after luckless draw
Tipperary were knocked out of the Tailteann Cup by Wicklow last Saturday in Aughrim
Tipperary senior football manager Niall Fitzgerald expressed his pride in his players despite seeing their Tailteann Cup campaign come to an end following defeat to Wicklow in Aughrim on Saturday.
The loss leaves the Premier County out of the competition, but Fitzgerald felt his side had competed admirably against an experienced and physically imposing Wicklow team, while also highlighting the progress made by a youthful Tipperary panel over the course of the season.
"Sure, obviously disappointment, you know, but I thought we fought very hard against a physically superior side. We really felt it in the league as well.
“They were probably the one Division 4 team that we really struggled against. They have a lot of big men and they're a few years ahead of us, we'd say, in terms of development.
"We gave them a goal there in the first half and we were chasing that for the rest of the game.
“Instead of being probably four or five points up at half-time, we were a point up. You saw the breeze that was there. Being a point ahead just wasn't quite enough.
"But look, that being said, we had two goal chances there at the end, we had the ball cleared off the line, and the lads kept plugging away. I don't know, they just didn't get that rub of the green."
Tipperary began the second half brightly despite facing into the wind, but Fitzgerald pointed to some costly turnovers at key stages.
"That was a big thing. We carried the ball into contact there at times when we just didn't need to and got punished for it.
"Look, today, or this year, has been a huge path of development for a lot of players. That's what we're trying to do. There has to be growth, but there's going to be learning along the way."
With a significant number of young players involved, Fitzgerald believes the experience gained this year will stand to the group in the future, though he acknowledged that physical development remains a challenge at senior inter-county level.
"Yeah, it does. It takes a couple of years. But look, we know we have ability there in the group and we know that we have footballers.
"It's just trying to keep that group together now. The lads know themselves, and we've been working on it. They know what they have to do to take that next step, and that's where we are.
"But look, I'm very proud of the effort there today."
Fitzgerald also questioned the scheduling of Tipperary's Tailteann Cup campaign, noting the demands placed on his side by a series of lengthy away trips to Sligo, Antrim, and finishing with Wicklow in the last four weeks.
"Yeah, I think we're the only team out of the 16 Tailteann Cup teams to have three away games, and long away trips as well.
“It's maybe something the GAA is going to have to address, you know. But it is what it is."
While disappointed with the result, Fitzgerald's focus was firmly on the long-term development of a young Tipperary squad that showed encouraging signs throughout the campaign, despite seeing their season come to an end in Wicklow.