AFTER Tipperary felt ‘embarrassed’ by their efforts in 2024, the success of the Premier’s minor team had a major influence on the seniors’ desire to restore pride.
Hurling in the county was at a low ebb on the back of a failure to win a game in last season’s Munster SHC.
However, underage achievements brightened the outlook as the winning of an Under-20 provincial title was followed by a stunning triumph in the All-Ireland minor final.
Jake Morris was one of the members of the senior set-up in attendance as the Tipp teenagers were forced to play the majority of their showpiece with 13 players due to a pair of first-half red cards.
Yet James Woodlock’s side displayed remarkable character to pull off an extra-time win over Kilkenny on their own patch.
Asked if it was the type of occasion that struck a chord, Morris said: “It was, in terms of looking at a team that fought on their backs together, a united team, a good battling Tipperary team, that never-say-die attitude and that’s what you’re referring to.
“That’s what was taken away that day.
“You never mind losing a game as long as you’ve shown up and you’ve performed and you’ve fought on your back and you can come away together on the bus afterwards and you can look at each other.
“The manner of some of the defeats last year wasn’t acceptable. I suppose that’s where there was a bit of lessons taken from looking at 16- and 17-year-olds performing last year in Nowlan Park.”
Morris admits he was ‘embarrassed walking around’ that day in Kilkenny after Tipperary had been dumped out of the Championship with an 18-point hammering against Cork six weeks earlier.
Nevertheless, the response from Liam Cahill’s men can only be admired.
Wins over Clare and Waterford, as well as a draw with Limerick, sent them through to this year’s knockouts stages.
Having blitzed Laois, another victory over Galway on Saturday would seal Tipp’s place in a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2019. Morris explained: “You can’t hide away.
“We were in the trenches after last year. We had to deal with it face on, take our constructive criticism and move on and look in the mirror.
“There was a lot of soul-searching done over the winter, a lot of hard looks in the mirror and seeing what can be done more.
“To be fair, lads have done it and so have the management team. They’ve come with us every way in this journey. It hasn’t been pointed just at the players.
“They’ve taken on the flak as well and together as a unit, we’ve worked hard and we’ve got ourselves into this situation now where we’re still alive in the Championship and that’s ultimately what we aim for.”
After the year began with boss Cahill calling on fans to get behind his team, the Tipperary public have gradually been coaxed back to the stands and terraces too.
Morris said: “Drawing against Limerick probably did plant the seed with a lot of Tipp supporters that, ‘OK, these lads mean business, they’re competitive again’ but I don’t think there was exactly one moment.
“I think it’s just been a lot of hard work since the start of the year.”
In-form Morris was one of the stars of a campaign that saw Tipp only miss out on a place in the Munster final on scoring difference.
The vice-captain, who debuted in 2018, added: “I know I only turned 26 there a couple of weeks ago but I’ve seen a lot.
“I suppose leadership is off the field and on the field and we’ve a lot of good leaders in that dressing room.
“I think for myself, it was just a look in the mirror and to say I need to do more, I need to do more on the field.
“It’s not about giving big, massive speeches in the dressing room. It’s about leading on the field and that’s consciously what I was trying to go after.”
