Tipperary All-Ireland winning manager Liam Sheedy has added his voice to the tributes for retiring Tipp duo Eoin Kelly and John O'Brien.

The Premier County won the 2010 All-Ireland SHC as well as two Munster SHC and a League title under Sheedy's watch and he praised the contributions of Kelly and O'Brien to those successes.

"Could we have won or done what we done in three years without Eoin Kelly? I don't think so. He was the total package," he said to The Irish Daily Star.

"I'm not so sure my management titles would be as high only for Eoin Kelly and John O'Brien, and all they done. I have a lot of time for those two guys."

32-year-old Kelly holds the distinction of being Tipperary's all-time top scorer with a massive 21-368 and Sheedy added: "It's always difficult to compare (players from different generations), something I struggle with. I don't think you can do it.

"But, one thing I can say is that to me he was a magician, the things he could do with a hurley and ball.

"This guy's wrists, the skill and talent. When you see Gooch Cooper writing about the over the shoulder points that says it all.

"He was an overall pleasure to work with and in my view iconic."

On John O'Brien's commitment to the county's cause, Sheedy revealed: "John was in an accident before we took over. The work he done to get himself back into the set-up for the winter of 2007, for 2008 - another phenomenal guy.

"He's going to be very difficult for us to replace. You need a target man in any team in terms of where you put the ball."

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