Jake Morris enjoying Tipperary's revival
Tipperary's Jake Morris pictured ahead of the All-Ireland SHC Final. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Six years was a long time for Tipperary not to appear in an All-Ireland SHC fixture at Croke Park.
So, when the wait ended, Liam Cahill's charges finished with a real flourish to defeat Kilkenny.
Jake Morris is one of the survivors from the 2019 success at GAA headquarters when the blue and gold flag was perched on the summit. "It’s a different group, a different crop," Morris says.
"For me, I was on the periphery, coming on and learning my trade whereas now this team is one I have been playing with a lot of lads I came up along with from minor and U20 which feels nicer, especially being part of the leadership group of the team, taking more of an onus on yourself.
"The 2019 semi-final had a lot of similarities in it, the feeling at the end of pure satisfaction. We have lost a lot of leaders since then and it is a really good feeling to be with this team."
Nenagh Éire Óg clubman Morris has relished a new role in the current campaign. "Predominantly, I have been playing inside since I came on the scene," Morris remarks.
"After a chat with the management, they said I’d be deployed a bit further away from goal, and that has helped my game anyway. I am enjoying it out there, but also being able to go back inside as well.
"There is a bit more freedom to get on the ball and use your legs a bit more than inside where you could be waiting five or 10 minutes for a ball to come in and you have to make hay with it. Just being involved in the game more is helping my game.
Andrew Ormond and Jake Morris celebrate following Tipperary's All-Ireland SHC Semi-Final win over Kilkenny at Croke Park. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
"I am enjoying it. It’s a really good team to be playing in, we work really hard for each other with different lads chipping in all the time and a bench that is making a serious impact when they are needed to."
Vice-captain to Ronan Maher, Morris embraces the added responsibility ahead of the All-Ireland SHC decider against Cork. "Over the years in Tipperary, the good captains that I have played under like Padraic (Maher), Seamie (Callanan), Brendan (Maher), Noel (McGrath) and now Ronan, none of them are for banging their hurleys off the table in the dressing room. They just lead by their hurling," Morris explains.
"Being vice-captain is a huge honour. I was given it last year when I was 24. Liam put a lot of faith in me, and I have worked with him a long time as well, so we probably know each other’s work.
"We still have Noel (McGrath), Seamus Kennedy, and these fellas in the dressing room. It is not a massive onus to be different, but you are conscious of showing good leadership on the field."
A meaningful connection has been forged between the team, management, and supporters. That is vital for Tipperary hurling. "We have full belief in our group and management team," Morris says.
"We know we have top hurlers in the county, with the U20’s winning the All-Ireland, and the minors winning the All-Ireland last year, there are serious hurlers in Tipperary.
"It was really about getting the hard work done in the winter months and coming in under the radar, taking it game by game through the league, picking up a bit of momentum and it’s really important what a few wins can do for a team and the morale of the whole county, the people are getting back behind us.
"The support at the semi-final was absolutely phenomenal. Coming up on the bus we knew we would have massive support, three or four to one I’d say easily, and that definitely spurred us on in the last 12 minutes." Another trip to the capital beckons.
