'Whatever happens in Croke Park we're not going away'

July 29, 2016

Tipperary manager Liam Kearns speaks to his team before the Munster SFC semi-final clash against Cork at Semple Stadium, Thurles.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

Tipperary football selector Tommy Toomey says they are here to stay despite the outcome of Sunday's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Galway.

Speaking in today's Irish Examiner, Toomey pointed out that Tipp's success thus far this season, which has seen them reach the quarter-finals for the first time, did not come over night and feels that the people behind the football development in the Premier County deserve credit.

"Tipperary are on the road and whatever happens in Croke Park we're not going away," he said. "We have a nucleus of young players coming in behind us from minor teams that have played Munster finals. We didn't win them all, the same with U21, but we won a couple. The players understand that sometimes you have to step back to go forward.

"It's important that we take a step like beating Derry, beating a Division 2 team; beating Cork, a Division 1/2 team. We hadn't been doing that. This was our third time in the top 12. It's not something that has happened overnight.

"I think people need to have a look at that and see the development work that's going on and what's happening in the background for Tipperary football and give a small bit of credit to the people who are doing that, bringing the young players up."

Looking at Sunday's showdown with the Tribesmen at Croker, he added: "We won't take ourselves too seriously. We'll have a go with the type of football we've been playing. We're not going to make great plans. We know Galway, they know us.

"We've played them twice in the qualifiers in recent years. They're on the way up, they're a small bit ahead of us and we're aware of that. They've won a Connacht championship, we haven't won a Munster championship so they're ahead of us in the winning stakes. Our lads won't be afraid of Croke Park."


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