McCarthy recalled to Tipp panel despite recovering from third knee operation

By Shane Brophy

The return of Billy McCarthy is the most notable inclusion in the 37-man Tipperary senior hurling training panel named by manager Liam Sheedy last week.

McCarthy is one of three new faces from the 2020 season, along with Roscrea’s Alan Tynan and Cashel King Cormacs Eoghan Connolly who captained the under 20’s last year.

However, the return of McCarthy is a huge boost for the Thurles Sarsfields clubman who has endured an injury ravaged last two and a half years since he burst onto the scene in 2018 where he was Tipperary’s best performer in the campaign which saw them eliminated from the Munster Championship at the round-robin stage.

Not long after in a Mid Championship match against JK Brackens in Templetuohy, McCarthy sustained an horrific leg injury which kept him out of the game for two years, only returning last summer when he lined out for his club in the county championship against Kilruane MacDonaghs. However, in his third game back against Moycarkey/Borris, McCarthy sustained a third cruciate knee injury to the same leg but is on schedule in terms of his rehabilitation, however, his involvement in any aspect of this years inter-county season as it is currently scheduled, is hard to see.

The panel also includes John O’Dwyer and Ger Browne who were omitted for the latter two championship matches of 2020 against Cork and Galway, while goalkeeper Daragh Mooney has opted off the squad while Sean O’Brien has retired.

Tipperary Senior Hurling training panel

Cathal Barrett (Holycross/Ballycahill)

Michael Breen (Ballina)

Ger Browne (Knockavilla Kickhams)

Robert Byrne (Portroe)

Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens)

Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)

Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs)

Willie Connors (Kiladangan)

Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

Alan Flynn (Kiladangan)

Paul Flynn (Kiladangan)

Jason Forde (Silvermines)

Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Eire Og)

Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)

Brian Hogan (Lorrha)

Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan/Kilcash)

Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s)

Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)

Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

Patrick Maher (Lorrha)

Paul Maher (Kilsheelan/Kilcash)

Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)

Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)

Brian McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

John McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

John Meagher (Loughmore/Castleiney)

Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og)

John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)

Bryan O’Mara (Holycross/Ballycahill)

Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

James Quigley (Kiladangan)

Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore)

Billy Seymour (Kiladangan)

Alan Tynan (Roscrea)