By John Harrington

Former Clare hurler, Colin Ryan, believes the return of Liam Sheedy as Tipperary hurling team manager is a huge boost for the Banner County’s great rivals.

Ryan worked with Sheedy at club-level with Newmarket when they won the Clare Championship in 2012, and reckons Sheedy’s man-management will give the Premier County players a massive boost for 2019.

“I've been involved with Liam at club level and I know what he brings to the table,” said Ryan when speaking at the GAA/PDST Future Leaders TY Programme Launch at Croke Park.

“I tweeted at the time that, while I'm happy for the man, I'm not so happy as a Clare person that he's back because I know he'll get a reaction from those players.

“His man-management is huge. He comes in and his enthusiasm is infectious. He used to come to Newmarket and, it was crazy, the look of players faces when he'd come into the dressing-room, it was just we're ready to go here, we're ready to fight to the death for this fella.

“He just got his message across really well. It was always a really tactical session with him. And I think he just knows what to say to players at the right time. When to press buttons, when they might need a hand around their shoulder.

“I think half the battle is knowing how to manage the players. If you can make them feel wanted when things aren't going well for them and if you can make them feel grounded when things are going really well for them, then you'll have a good team ethos.”

Sheedy’s return with Tipperary and the appointment of Padraic Fanning as Waterford hurling team manager has added another layer of intrigue to the 2019 Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

The two counties that failed to progress from their province this year will surely be all the more energised to do so next year under new management, so the scene is set for another ferocious Munster Championship.

“Munster is a minefield,” said Ryan. “No team will be able to look beyond getting out of Munster because they mightn't be there.

“Liam Sheedy is coming back with Tipp, a new management in Waterford too. It's just crazy to think that they were the two that didn't get out this year and now they'll have the catalyst of new management.

“It's going to be how are Limerick going to react to being All-Ireland champions? How are Clare going to react now they have the belief to be right up there with other teams?

“It's set up to be an absolute phenomenal Munster Championship, and then anything goes after that.”