We have to be ready for Offaly - Noel McGrath

By Stephen Barry

Tipperary captain Noel McGrath hopes his side will kickstart their All-Ireland series refreshed and recharged from their disappointment against Waterford.

The Déise produced a surprise victory which McGrath believes Tipp can learn from heading to face Offaly at Tullamore on Sunday.

“The first three games in Munster were positive enough for us, we hadn't lost any of the games, but we were well beaten against Waterford so it was disappointing,” said McGrath at the All-Ireland Championship launch on Tuesday in Waterford.

“We had an opportunity to get into a Munster final which as a player you want to play in the big days.

“But any day you go out and you're not on, you get beaten and that's what happened on the day. Waterford were the better team. They were the ones that were dictating the game and we just weren't able to get to grips with it. So, it was disappointing from that point of view.

“After a day or two, you just gather yourself again and you realise you're still in the championship. You just have to knuckle down and go again. That's what we've been doing over the last few weeks. If you stay dwelling on it for too long, you get stuck in it. You just have to move on and get going again.

“You learn from it and as a player, you ask yourself the questions, you were one of the ones on the field, as to what you could have done better or what you should have done here or there and that's how you improve and get better.

“We took a couple of days off to refresh and recharge and we've been back at it now for the last two weeks.”

On the injury front, McGrath hopes some returning faces can help to lift the Tipp cause having shipped some knocks over the Munster campaign.

“No matter what team you are in any sport in the world, you need your full complement of players and then the management will pick from that.

“You want to have everybody back and give everybody a chance to play but at different stages of the year, different teams have picked up injuries. We've been no different to anyone else.

“It's why you have a panel as well so when injuries do come, others can come in and play.

“You want everyone available that you possibly can so hopefully we'll have a good few bodies back for this weekend.”

McGrath says Tipp have to be ready for what Offaly will bring in front of a home crowd.

“They were very unlucky in the Joe McDonagh final,” he said.

“They've had a couple of good years at underage level in both hurling and football and the excitement is building so I'm sure Saturday will be no different.

“There'll be a big crowd there and they'll be looking to get the win the same as us. We have to be ready to go.”