New Tipperary hurling manager Liam Cahill says the time was right for himself and coach Mikey Bevans to take the reins of the senior team.
It has been a busy time on the hurling managerial circuit and as one of the brightest figures on that scene - with All-Ireland wins for Tipp at minor, U20 and U21 level as well as delivering a national league title for the Deise this year - Cahill's name is regularly in the mix when positions become vacant.
Last Thursday, the Tipperary board parted ways with Colm Bonnar who had led the Tipp senior hurlers in 2022. On Friday, Cahill stepped down as Waterford manager before being put forward earlier this evening for ratification at the next Tipp county board meeting.
Speaking to RTE Sport, Cahill says he felt the time was right to take over in his native county.
"I really enjoyed my time in Waterford and I am very grateful to the players who gave me everything every day they took the field, the county board who left no stone unturned in our preparations, and the supporters who continue to back their team through good days and the not so good," he said.
But once the Tipperary job became vacant, the draw of home was too strong to lure – for himself and highly regarded coach, Bevans.
"This is the second time we were presented with the opportunity to manage Tipperary," Cahill explains.
"And we just couldn’t walk away from that on this occasion. Now is the time for us, if we didn’t do it now, I don’t think it would ever come again."
"The Tipp senior hurling job is a huge honour for myself, my family and my club.
"Tipperary hurling is one of the major contributors to Irish sport and I am very aware of the responsibility bestowed upon me.
"I'm really looking forward to getting back out and about on the club scene in Tipperary and starting the job of work that lies ahead to get Tipperary hurling back to the top table.
"We saw yesterday the standards that are needed and the levels that are required to compete with the standards on display in Croke Park"
"Limerick proved yet again how good they are and they have shown that consistently over the last few years.
"I believe we can really find the nucleus of a great hurling squad in Tipperary as there is plenty of potential and it will be my job to maximise that potential."
It’s expected that Cahill will finalise his backroom team in the coming weeks.
