Tipperary will have to do without the services of Patrick 'Bonner' Maher until next April as he is due to leave for Syria next month for a tour of duty with the Defence Forces.

Just like Kilkenny's Eoin Larkin 12 months, 'Bonner' will have to cut short his All-Ireland celebrations in preparation for a six-month stint in the war-torn Golan Heights. Indeed, he would have been training with his comrades in the Wicklow Mountains today but for his involvement in the All-Ireland final.

"I am deploying to Syria, in the Golan Heights, on October 5," he told RTÉ's Marty Morrissey on Morning Ireland from the DoubleTree by Hilton Dublin Hotel.

"It is something different, it is my first trip overseas and I am really looking forward to it. It will be six-month trip overseas, so hopefully I will be back fit in April.

"It is what your training builds you up for. Something you have to do to fulfill your contract. It is an experience and I am really looking forward to it. I am going with a good group of boys - they are training in the Wicklow Mountains today.

"I will have to join them during the week."

The centre forward is delighted to have a second All-Ireland medal in his possession.

"It's magical. It is something you look forward your whole life. If you're hurling since a young lad you are looking to reach an All-Ireland final and hopefully bringing home a Celtic Cross," he continued.

"We are all waking up this morning with the feeling of knowing we have a Celtic Cross in our back pocket. It's magical and not everyone gets to experience that feeling."

"I will be holding it close with me out there and I will look at it out there and be looking forward to getting back in April."

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