It was a hot topic of discussion in the week before the game but John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer’s inclusion in the Tipperary team proved to be the right call by Michael Ryan.
O’Dwyer’s red card in the Munster semi-final win over Limerick meant he missed the provincial showpiece and was unable to force his way back into the starting team for the semi-final win over Galway.
But the Killenaule man, who rattled off 1-05 in the All-Ireland final win against the Cats, more than justified his inclusion on the first Sunday in September.
“Since the Galway game he’s been in outstanding form, he was there on merit and there’s no freebies in our world,” said the Tipp boss.
“We pick on merit and timing is everything. He’s in great form and as you saw out there today he’s a bit irresistible.”
In the aftermath of the Premier County’s first All-Ireland win in six years, marking the first time they’d won Liam MacCarthy twice in the one decade since the sixties, Ryan admitted his head was reeling.
But even without seeing the stats, he was deeply satisfied at how his team’s work-rate and intensity saw off the Cats.
“I’ll have to review it to see the detail, but out there it felt that we were never out of it even though Kilkenny came and got some great scores,” said Ryan.
“Our guys were never out for any length for time and we were getting the scoreboard moving regularly and we were keeping that bit of daylight between us.
“I’m not aware of the second-half stats, but it felt like we might have tipped the scales in our direction (in terms of work-rate). It felt like a phenomenal second half and the intensity levels were really high.
“Our guys showed great skill and great composure throughout.
“There’s nothing revolutionary about forwards working hard - every team in the country sets out to do it, but we seemed to really get it right.”
The team, and the victorious minors, are due back in Thurles this evening to parade their silverware.
