O'Shea to join Tipperary backroom team

The announcement that Eamon O'Shea is to return to the Tipperary senior hurling back-room team at the end of the Allianz Hurling League campaign is sure to have unnerved many of their rivals this week.

While O'Shea will join Liam Sheedy's set-up in a support role, but not as a selector, his involvement still will be hugely beneficial such is the regard he is held in the game with his innovative thinking and in an era where structures and systems are becoming the norm in senior inter-county hurling, having new ways of breaking them down are needed more than ever.

“Eamon was one of the first people I talked to when it came to considering stepping back into this role again and we have remained in close contact since,” said Liam Sheedy of O'Shea return.

“He is a passionate Tipperary man and having him on board at any level is a great boost.”

The Kilruane MacDonagh's clubman, who was at training at Dr Morris Park last Tuesday night, was a hugely influential part of Liam Sheedy's first term as manager as coach of the side that won the All Ireland title in 2010.

After the Portroe man stepped down in the wake of that success, O'Shea took on the managers bib himself from 2013 to 2015 and was hugely unfortunate not to have won an All Ireland in his three years in charge, coming closest in 2014 when they were defeated in the final by Kilkenny.

However, you could argue the influence of O'Shea was there in 2016 when Michael Ryan guided Tipperary to All Ireland glory, playing a brand of hurling that had his fingerprints all over it, free-flowing hurling with the ability to create space in attack.

That he has agreed to link up with Sheedy once more, it comes at a time when Tipperary are still searching for a style of play which turns them into All Ireland contenders once again. If they find it and match it with the work-rate and drive which has been evident in the performances in the National League so far, despite the mixed results, Tipperary will have a major say in the destination of the Liam MacCarthy Cup come August.