With the retirement of Seamus Callanan last September, the Tipperary camp bid farewell to its last National League-winning player.
Sixteen years have passed since Eoin Kelly and Paul Ormond lifted the Division 1 cup and still the county have the record number of outright titles with 19.
Also top of the runners-up pile with 20, it’s a competition Tipperary have traditionally embraced and seeing as how they have a bye in the first round of the Munster SHC, reaching tomorrow’s semi-final against Clare was the least expected of them.
In his illustrious 13-year career, Ronan Maher’s brother Paudie never won a Division 1 title and the younger sibling would like to trump him – “it would be a nice one to have over him now” – but you sense it’s not high in his list of priorities.
“The league is the league and it’s great preparation for the Munster Championship and you know as well as I know that the Munster Championship is really tough to get out of.
“I don’t have a National League medal and I wouldn’t mind one and I know the lads wouldn’t mind one either. It’s been a good few years – 2008 was the last time we won one – so it’d be nice to have a National League medal and it would set you up good for the Munster Championship. We’re not out in the first round so we’d have three weeks (from the final).”
The Tipperary captain’s drive means he won’t be holding back in Portlaoise or in the final in two weeks’ time should they get there. But that first provincial outing with Limerick on April 28 is at the forefront of his thoughts.
“It’s brutal, the Munster Championship is brutal. These matches are great for preparation, they’re competitive. Every team in Munster, I suppose, has been strong in the league so it’s good preparation and it doesn’t be long about coming around, the Munster Championship.”
Tipperary have lost Seamus Kennedy (cruciate) and Eoghan Connolly (elbow) in their last two games. While Connolly is expected to be back for championship, Kennedy’s season-ending woe has reverberated around the dressing room.
Maher suggests there are several factors for the blows.
“It’s the workload and just the time of the year but it’s really unlucky as well. It’s to be expected in sport with the workload that we’re going through. I think every team suffers a small bit.
“It’s something we have to deal with as a team and as a squad and that’s why we have the depth in the squad and we have good young lads there and a good depth this year so hopefully somebody fills in the position and we’ll move on, but it’s really tough on Seamus. You’d feel really sorry for him.”
Even with such injuries, it's not in Maher’s make-up to hold back as much as he knows the ramifications of suffering one at this crucial stage of the season. “It’s something that I don’t think about, really. Thankfully, I’ve been lucky enough with injuries touch wood but you’d really feel for him.
“If anything happens at this time of the year, you’re missing the rest of the year. Anything serious and you’re missing the main part of the championship and it makes it tough if you can make it back because you’re limited on time and trying to impress the management. It’s tough on players but it’s sport and that’s what you have to deal with in the new championship.”
The one blip for Tipperary these past seven weeks was the defeat to Limerick, which was glossed by Jake Morris’ late goal. Still, 11 goals in five games wasn’t a shabby return for a team learning to live without the game’s second all-time top championship goalscorer Callanan.
“He was one in a million, he was very good,” says Maher of his old team-mate. “Seamie was unbelievable to score and finish goals. Thankfully, we have great forwards up there at the minute who are very good at finishing and that’s been shown in the league.
“It’s all about carrying it forward and goals win matches and they’re not easy got nowadays with the way teams set themselves up. It’s something you need to be going after.”
Promoted from vice-captain last year to captain this season, the 28-year-old is fully aware of the onus placed on him but playing for Tipperary is enough, he stresses.
“It’s a big responsibility. I have been around a couple of years now. Any day you put on that blue and gold jersey, it comes with huge responsibility and there is huge expectation with Tipp supporters so we carry that with us but we know they’re behind us the whole time. There are plenty of leaders in that dressing room and plenty with experience so I’m not the only one.”
