Maher is refreshed for new campaign

By Shane Brophy

2022 is the first year of the new split season in the GAA but Bill Maher is already feeling the benefits of it.

Last year was a disappointing one on the field for the Tipperary footballer who was hampered by injury, and then suffered league relegation and an early championship exit which brought the campaign to a premature end.

However, he was then able to focus on his club Kilsheelan/Kilcash where their senior footballs reached a county quarter final, while their intermediate hurlers went all the way to a county final, losing to Moyne-Templetuohy in mid-November.

So, it wasn’t a long break Maher had from the training field but one that was welcome nonetheless as he focuses on another inter-county campaign.

“You do feel a lot more refreshed this year as in previous years,” he admitted.

“In our club championship, we got to a county intermediate hurling final in mid-November and when you take a step back and see you have been training from January to the end of November fairly constantly, it sounds a lot but the fact the seasons are split and you are moving from one team to another to a completely different group of people, they are both as enjoyable as each other.

“It is fresh when you changeover so it is the way forward for the county and club championships that is definitely benefits inter-county players in that they can give everything they have for the inter-county without having to worry about upcoming club games.

“I only came back into training from the 28th of December, I had a month off and at this level after a month you are itching to get back out on the field again.

“I know we haven’t seen the full impact of the split season, that will probably come next year or the year after, but just on the basis of last year, it is great going forward and benefits everyone.”

2021 showed how quickly fortunes can change, from the high of November 2020 and the Munster Final win, to the following May when Tipperary were relegated to division 4 of the National League.

In some respects, Maher feels it was one long campaign between both years, despite there being a Covid impacted delay in the first half of 2021.

“Obviously it was a big high at the end of 2020 but it felt like one long championship more than two championships,” he said.

“So, if you took those eight months, it was a bit of a roller-coaster, but every player has gone back to their clubs, and whether they were successful or not successful, 2021 is somewhat erased until you are back training.

“The mood coming back in was everyone was refreshed and happy to be back in. Then it was about focusing on games and training, some guys are looking to get their place on the team, some are trying to get on the squad, so you don’t have much time to dwell on what went on last year.

He added: “We only have ourselves to blame for where we are.

“It was our results that got us there. We are not there by default.

“From the bottom team in division 4 to the second or third from bottom in division 2, each team would fancy playing each team. There is not much of a difference there.

“The motivation is still there. The teams we are playing are still strong, obviously we are really pushing to get out of division 4, we feel are a team a division or two above that, but our results don’t back that up and that’s the motivation.

“You want to see yourself as a Munster contender or a strong team, but we have the motivation to show we are that kind of a team.

“It’s back to your first principles to show that you are a good team, and that is by winning. Division 4 is good a place as any to start winning and getting that momentum."