Premier captain says that All-Ireland win 'means nothing' ahead of Munster hurling 2026

Any suggestion of an All-Ireland hangover being suffered by Tipperary's hurlers has been firmly dismissed.

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Tiperary captain Maher insists the celebrations were parked early, allowing full focus to return ahead of the new season and try to back up what was a massively enjoyable and successful 2025.

“We parked it well before Christmas, so we were prepared to come back in the early new year and get focus back on the year coming.

“It was exciting times obviously here in Tipperary and one we’ll always remember, but I suppose we did go after parking it all before Christmas, and we did that, and we got back to the training field.

“You have to park it before Christmas because you’ve got to be getting back towards a new year and you have to get yourself ready for the league campaign, which comes around very quickly at the end of January, so it was all done before Christmas.”

Competition for places has been another clear takeaway from the league, with younger players pushing hard for involvement.

Injuries, too, though, played their part in shaping the league campaign, but Maher sees that as part of the process at this time of year.

“I would suppose there were lots of young lads there that we probably wanted to get game time into, or had to get game time into, so the league is really good in that way.

“It also puts a few niggles along the way, but that’s part and parcel of the whole league campaign, especially at that time of year when you’re going through your pre-season as well.

“So a mixture of both, and there were lots of lads new on the panel, and they got their opportunities as well.”

Despite being All-Ireland champions, Tipperary have not been central to much of the early championship discussion, with attention largely on Limerick and Cork and the possibility of the pair meeting five times this year.

A two-horse race, according to many pundits and hurling aficionados, but Maher does not concern himself with that conversation.

“Like any team, you just try and focus on yourself, but you can see the league campaign that Limerick and Cork have been really sharp and in really good condition at the minute, so they’re looking forward to a league final, and I’m sure that will be a thriller as well.

“We’ll just focus on ourselves and for the next couple of weeks and see how it goes.

“Similarly, talk of a potential back-to-back has not been a driving factor internally.

“It’s not something that you’d focus on entirely. You have to put out your motivations, and they’ll change collectively, and as an individual as well, so I think it’s the wider public that always talks about the back-to-back.

“You can’t really focus on that too much; you have to focus on getting yourself in the best physical condition going into the Munster Championship, because if you don’t come out of Munster, that’s no good to you, and you need to be ready to take on all the teams there.

“It’s obviously something that’s in the back of your mind, but you can’t focus on it entirely.”

Attention now turns fully to Cork and the opening round in Thurles, a fixture that rarely lacks intensity.

“It’s the best championship we have here in the country, in both football and hurling, I think. It’s an unbelievable competition. We’re so lucky to be in it.

“We’re looking forward to it now against Cork. As I said, you have to put yourself in the best position over the next few weeks.

“Look forward to Cork game here in Semple Stadium, and whether that’s a win, draw or a loss, you have to reshuffle the head again and get ready for Waterford the following week.

“It’s all about just preparing for Cork. You take your learnings from what came in the league, you move on, go after those things in the next few weeks and see where it gets you.

“It’s going to be unbelievable, and Thurles always brings out the best Munster games, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

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