Tippeary selector rejects suggestion that Liam Cahill 'flogs his teams'
DECLAN LAFFAN FEELS that Tipperary’s conditioning is the key difference to transform their winless 2024 season into 2025 All-Ireland contenders.
The Premier selector reckons that results have quietened the outside noise about Liam Cahill’s approach as they prepare for an All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.
“The public perception of Liam is that he flogs his teams, and look, let the public think what they like. We just have to worry about what we do,” Laffan said.
“We probably didn’t get it right last year, we probably tapered it back a little bit too much. We maybe suffered in the latter end of games where teams just pulled away from us and we just hadn’t it in the lungs to stay with them.
“It’s a fine balance getting it right, and it’s even the same coming into big games like this, how you tailor training during the week that you don’t end up flat. Do you do an hour? Do you do 40 minutes?
“Everything has to be tailored properly, and that’s where your S&C guys have come in and laid down the law and make sure that things are done right and that we don’t overcook lads.”
Tipp have turned to former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity as a coach this year, although Laffan doesn’t expect any “rabbits in the hat” from either side.
“David is an excellent coach and has brought huge contributions this year to what we’ve been trying to do.
“He will probably have a bit of inside knowledge. Whether it will benefit us or not, we won’t know until the game plays out.
“He’s all-in. You don’t give eight or nine months with a team unless you’re fully committed.”
On the injury front, Laffan reports a clean bill of health in the week since beating Galway.
“We’re looking good at the minute. There’s the usual bangs and bruises for this time of the season, but in general, we have a healthy squad to pick from, so we’ll just have to try and get it right now, I suppose.
“We had the long break after the Munster Championship, which was, I’m not going to say it was difficult, but it took a bit of managing to get right.
“Laois was probably the ideal game to set us up for that Galway match. The two-week break after Galway, I would think it’s ideal. It’s given us ample time to process that and get ready for the next one and go about our business and do whatever analysis we have to do.
“It’s worked well for us, and if we win, we’ll say we have it right, and if we don’t, somebody will find fault.”
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