Tipperary’s Pádraic Maher relishing another final cut at Cats

Because both men had all the blood wiped from their eyes and eventually rediscovered equilibrium, it will not become the moment of this hurling championship. Not even of that game. Not for Pádraic Maher nor Joe Canning. Far more important events followed. It was just a collision that made the gallery gasp, mainly because it occurred right in front of them, below the Ard Chomhairle seats.

Canning's hamstring ensured his influence on the 2016 All-Ireland series died when he was needed most. Before that unfortunate injury he had opened the scoring for Galway and helped maintain their grip on Sunday's semi-final.

On one excursion into the back field the sliotar came to him on the right wing and after a neat pick up he was away.

Maher instinctively abandoned his man. The shoulder on shoulder meeting laid Canning out but burst open the heads of both 27-year-olds.

“It was just a spur of the moment thing,” Maher recalled.

“Thankfully we are both okay, are we? I’m not sure.”

So rare that Maher gets to line up someone like Joe and obliterate them.

“Yeah, well, that’s what you get with Galway, a very physical game. They got various hits in on us as well. In fairness to [referee] Barry Kelly he let the thing go on occasion.”

Kelly awarded Tipperary the sideline cut.

“It was thoroughly enjoyable to play in and I’m sure enjoyable to watch. After what happened last year we are just delighted to win it.”

Few stitches

There are a few stitches over the

Thurles

man’s eye this week but both players returned to the game within three minutes.

“Ah the doctor said he has his work cut out to stitch it up back properly. Not a lot to work with there. No, it’s fine.”

Maher made light of it because his wellbeing was irrelevant in a game Tipperary simply had to win after losing to Galway at this stagein 2015. And after losing far too many tight championship matches since their last All-Ireland title in 2010 promised a golden era.

“Happy yeah, we have lost a few tight games so it’s nice to come out the right side of it.”

Even if the Canning shoulder is a clip destined for his post-career highlights reel, it was not Maher’s major contribution in Sunday’s game. That came in the 32nd minute with Galway leading 1-9 to 0-10, when he hooked Conor Cooney to deny a certain goal.

“That’s just everyone working hard and covering for one another. Just thankful I got back in time. I think there was 31, 32 minutes on the clock at that stage so if that had gone in it would have been a real sucker punch before half-time.”

Until the late goals, by John McGrath and John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, it seemed like the Galway defending, Daithí Burke kept Séamus Callanan scoreless from play, would prevail.

“It was like a game of tennis there for a while. The boys kept working hard inside but, especially the second goal, they worked it very well . . .”

Callanan found Bonar Maher who somehow got a pass back to Callanan to scoop the sliotar on to John McGrath – each action coming in the presence of Galway bodies and with hurleys flying.

“They are well capable of that,” said Maher. “The boys up front, the likes of Dan [McCormack] and Bonar, showed unbelievable work rate, winning vital frees at times. Séamus put a few frees over at vital times when we were not going that well. That kept us in the game, kept us in touch.”

Not that it would be enough to keep them in an All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. Kilkenny to have won seven of their last eight championship meetings.

“We struggle to get over the line against them. It is up to us to turn the tables. We are under no illusions. We know each other inside out at this stage. We know we just have to work even harder, and bring a performance with us, and see where it leaves us.”

So Tipperary carry a lot of baggage into September.

“Baggage with us? No. We don’t ever fear Kilkenny, we never did. Look, we came up against them in ’09, ’10, 2011 when they were a top-class team. People have doubted them the last few years and they keep coming and coming. You saw [against Waterford] again, bringing in new lads and delivering the goods again. We are under no illusions. We have loads of young lads in there as well and they are mad for action too. That will bring them on a huge amount again. It has the makings of a cracking final.”