Maher anticipates "huge battle in that middle third"
August 30, 2016
Tipperary's Ronan Maher and Padraic Maher have words with John Cronin of Cork.
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan.
Ronan Maher predicts that the 2016 All-Ireland SHC final will be won and lost in the middle third.
Tipperary stand in the way of another Kilkenny three-in-a-row and Premier County centre back Maher points out that it will be action-packed and frenetic between the two half-back lines:
"I think it's going to be a huge battle in that middle third," the 20-year-old Thurles Sarsfields clubman told RTE. "I'm really looking forward to it now, passing the time is the main objective at the minute.
"Kilkenny have huge, huge men with lots of experience - brilliant hurlers. We just have to match them in that middle third, win our own ball and take it from there.
"It's my first time playing in an All-Ireland final. I was on the panel in 2014 but didn't get on the field that day. I'm really looking forward to it now, passing the time is the main objective at the minute.
"I'll have a few nerves, that's natural enough, but as soon as the ball is thrown in I think that all goes away."
