By Jackie Cahill
Tipperary senior hurling manager Michael Ryan has added talented Thurles Sarsfields duo Stephen Cahill and Aidan McCormack to his panel ahead of the Munster SHC quarter-final with Cork on May 22.
Cahill and McCormack were two of the most impressive players for Sars in their march to successive county titles in 2014 and 2015 - and now have the chance to force their way into Ryan's thinking for the visit of the Rebels to Semple Stadium.
Both players were also involved in the 2012 Munster club final victory over De La Salle and in that year's county final victory over Drom & Inch, McCormack was the standout performer for Sars, hitting 1-6 from play.
McCormack was also to the fore on the biggest day on the Tipperary club hurling calendar in 2010, when he scored two points against Clonoulty-Rossmore.
Cahill was also a key member of the Tipperary team that won the 2012 All-Ireland minor hurling title and he's been acknowledged as man-of-the-match for Sars in their last two county senior final wins.
McCormack was marked out as a potential senior intercounty star of the future back in 2010, when he scored a hat-trick of goals in defeat against Cork in a classic Munster minor championship clash.
A year previously, he won Harty Cup and All-Ireland Colleges medals with Thurles CBS.
McCormack went on to feature for Tipp in the U21 ranks and Cahill was a member of the U21 side beaten by Limerick in the Munster championship last year.
Cahill was also an U21 player in 2014 for Tipperary, and scored a point against a star-studded Clare outfit as the Premier County lost out after extra-time in an epic encounter.
Local observers had tipped Cahill and McCormack to break through to the senior ranks before now but both players now have the chance to impress in the weeks leading up to the Cork clash.
The addition of the pair gives Ryan further options in attack and midfield, where Cahill can also operate, and will bolster the manager's numbers for in-house training games.
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