Ryan's championship focus narrows as six players trimmed from Tipp SH panel

April 11, 2017

Michael Ryan as Tipperary manager.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

by Jackie Cahill

Michael Ryan's championship focus has narrowed after the Tipperary senior hurling manager trimmed six players from his squad following a weekend training camp.

Ryan whisked his players to Abbottstown's Centre of Excellence for a two-day get-together, ahead of next Sunday's Allianz Hurling League semi-final clash against Wexford at Nowlan Park.

And it's now emerged that Ryan has cut Nenagh Éire Óg pair Andrew Coffey and Tommy Heffernan, along with Padraig Greene (Upperchurch-Drombane), Stephen Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields), Dylan Fitzell (Cashel King Cormacs) and Willie Ryan (Clonakenny) from his extended panel.

Cahill won a county senior hurling medal with Sars last year and when he appeared as substitute in the League quarter-final victory over Offaly, he scored a point.

Heffernan and Willie Ryan both made their full League debuts in the defeat to Cork at Páirc Uí Rinn, Ryan replaced late on while Heffernan made way early in the second half.

Greene, a clubmate of manager Ryan's, did not see any game time in the Allianz League campaign, while Coffey and Fitzell did not feature either. 

Meanwhile, Niall O'Meara is an injury concern ahead of next Sunday's tussle.

The Kilruane MacDonaghs clubman was excellent in the Offaly game, scoring five points from play while also providing the assist for Seamus Callanan's first half goal.

But it is understood that O'Meara didn't participate in the weekend training sessions in Abbottstown.


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