Michael Breen getting ready for Munster Championship tests
Tipperary Hurler and Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps ambassador, Michael Breen, pictured at the launch of the 2026 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps. This year marks 15 years of Kellogg’s sponsorship, celebrated with the launch of the 'Cúl-est P.E. Class' competition. This nationwide initiative offers 4th and 5th class students from 15 schools the chance to win a dynamic Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps session at their school. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
"For us, when we start to get training in Semple Stadium and you're taken out of the winter pitch of Dr Morris, if you like, it becomes all that bit more enjoyable," Tipperary's Michael Breen remarks ahead of what promises to be another intriguing Munster Senior Hurling Championship.
"When the ground starts to firm up a bit more, and the evenings become longer and brighter, it is what you want to do as a Tipperary hurler.
"You want to be hurling. You want to be over the slog, over all of that tough running."
April 19th is a date etched into the mind. Clare face Waterford, Tipperary host Cork, and Limerick have a bye weekend. The race to secure a top three finish down south will commence.
Tipperary returned to competitive action in January as All-Ireland champions. How did it compare to 12 months previously? "It is a different approach, you're coming in from a different angle, but you can't compare everything to last year," Breen replies.
"You can't say, we did this or we've to do this exactly the same way. So, we've just to look for a continual improvement again, go year on year, and add to what we were good at last year.
"We still have to bring forward all those positives and just try to sharpen the sword a bit more."
The Allianz Hurling League offered encouraging moments for Tipperary with some emerging players contributing. "Obviously, we'd have been looking to get to a league final, but not the case this year," Breen says.
Eoin Cody, Kilkenny, and Michael Breen, Tipperary, in Allianz Hurling League action last Saturday. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
"It was a worthwhile exercise because we managed to bank a lot of work throughout the league, and maybe we had to do that coming back that little bit later with the holiday, and the formalities that went on after the All-Ireland.
"We're still looking to get a lot of work done, we've another three or four weeks to bank work, to prepare for Cork on April 19."
In 2025, Tipperary generated momentum and belief early in the campaign, an opening Allianz Hurling League triumph over Galway illustrating real potential. "Momentum is a good thing, but it doesn't take much to create momentum either," Breen remarks.
"We'd love to have momentum, no other place than the Munster Championship. If you start well against Cork, build from there - that is what we're really aiming to do. The league is the league, it is done now for us.
"We've managed to bank a nice bit of work throughout the course of the league. We've guys coming back from different things, injuries and being rested, it is all focus on the 19th."
Having impressed in the underage and schools ranks, Tipperary teams have flourished recently so Breen acknowledges that there is a sense of optimism in the county. "Of course, there is confidence within the groups of the successful teams and around, and the Harty Cup successes of the last few years, the 20s, and the minors before that," Breen says.
"So, there is a buzz around. It can switch very quick so you literally can't be honing in on what happened last year with the 20s or seniors or the Harty Cups even because everybody is working outside of that. It will just take a small tweak for you to be knocked off that."
Breen is preparing for battle in Munster.
