TIPPERARY star Jake Morris knew brighter days were ahead after a 2024 to forget.
The Premier finished bottom of the Munster SHC group last summer after a winless provincial campaign.
He was overjoyed upon the final whistle of their dramatic semi-final win over Kilkenny
Liam Cahill has been vindicated this season
The Tipperary public questioned the squad’s ability and boss Liam Cahill came under fire in the wake of the dismal campaign.
But the players stuck at it, knowing a good crop was coming through, and redemption was the motivator when they reconvened last December.
There were signs of progress in the league. The Premier reached the NHL Division 1A final but lost out to Cork. Cahill’s men opened their Munster SHC campaign with a draw against Limerick in Thurles.
Wins over Clare and Waterford secured third place in the group and passage to the All-Ireland series.
Vice-captain Morris led by example as Tipp swept aside Laois and Galway to reach a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2019.
The Nenagh man, 26, shot four points at Croke Park as the Munster giants saw off Kilkenny by 4-20 to 0-30. And Morris and Co fully believe they can go all the way in Sunday’s showpiece against Cork.
The half-forward said: “We have full belief in our group and management team — 100 per cent. We know we have top hurlers in the county.
“Our Under-20s won the All-Ireland and the minors won the All-Ireland last year.
“It was really about getting the hard work done in the winter months and coming in under the radar, taking it game by game through the league, picking up a bit of momentum.
“It’s really important what a few wins can do for a team and the morale of the whole county, the people are getting back behind us.
“The support at the semi-final was absolutely phenomenal. Coming up on the bus we knew we would have massive support and that spurred us on in the last 12 minutes.”
The Premier faithful have waited six years for those last 12 minutes.
Trailing 0-26 to 3-16, Tipp were reduced to 14 men when Darragh McCarthy was sent off for a second yellow after clipping Cats stopper Eoin Murphy on the hand.
It was the youngster’s second dismissal of the summer, having also seen red in the early moments of the Munster clash with Cork.
But Morris fired the equalising score before Oisín O’Donoghue’s wonder goal. And Morris knows that resolve will be needed again in Sunday’s clash with the Rebels, who are favourites.
‘REALLY SWEET’
He said: “It’s just really sweet. It will bring the group on a massive amount to get through that battle with 14 men.
“It was really satisfying but that is down to the hard work the group has put in all year long, how honest it is.
“We’ve been doing that all year, even when we went down to 14 men in Cork, we still stayed trying and stayed playing to the final whistle.
“That is something we were conscious of since the start of the year, that no matter how a game is going, we stay hurling to the final whistle. It is a good trait to have.”
Morris made his SHC debut in 2018. He has scored 0-22 in his six Championship appearances this summer — he missed the Laois game — and is in Hurler of the Year territory.
But new faces such as O’Donoghue, 19, are also stepping up. His stunning strike against the Cats was his third major of the summer and Morris knows there is a lot more to come from their wonderkid.
He said: “It was pure joy and relief to see that hit the back of the net.
“He’s fearless and when he comes on, he knows he is going to make an impact.
“He’s a year younger than Darragh McCarthy and Sam O’Farrell — he’s Under-20 again next year.
“He is not afraid to back himself and go for the shot — and up against one of the best goalies in Ireland for the last ten years.
“Oisín is a really top-class player and is going to be a massive player for Tipperary in the years to come. We are really lucky to have him.”
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