While 2018 brought plenty of pain for Tipperary down south, the present Munster Championship has featured four blue and gold victories so Ronan Maher is encouraged ahead of Sunday’s provincial decider against Limerick.

Liam Sheedy’s return as Tipperary boss has injected enthusiasm and momentum ensuring another intriguing encounter with Limerick beckons at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Though it was a demanding stint 12 months ago for Tipperary, Maher relishes the new summer format with four matches guaranteed.

“I enjoy it, as a player you want to play as many games as you can this format sets you out to do that,” Maher told Tipp FM. “Going back to the old days you might only have one game and then your season is over.

“That is the other side of it so it is great to get the matches in. We are lucky enough to be in the Munster Championship, it is exciting every day you go out and entertaining. We are really enjoying it at the moment.”

Back in 2014 Maher made his Tipperary senior debut and the Thurles Sarsfields’ clubman is adamant that the approach has changed since then. “Monday is a big day for players after a game to get re-energised, to get the bodies right for the week after.

“For me there is more emphasis after games, personally on a Monday when you are away from the team you have to get the work done, to get to a pool or on the bike or get that extra stretch in to be ready to go back in to training on Tuesday night. It is so competitive there at the minute, you have to be on your toes.

“You'd be on a high after a game. The important thing is to refocus straightaway, relax that night and when Monday morning comes around you have to re-energise and recover as quickly as you can.”

Through his college days in Mary Immaculate College, Maher, who is set to start training as a Garda in the coming weeks, is very familiar with a string of established Limerick players.

“I lived with a good few of them down there, I hurled in Mary I with them and won two Fitzgibbons with a lot of those lads,” Maher states. “They were the backbone of those teams so I'm well aware of the boys below. There is good competition between us all at the minute.

“I hurled with Richie English, Darragh O'Donovan, Aaron Gillane. I lived with Richie for a year in college, they were great players to play alongside, exceptional. They are playing well for their county at the minute.

“Most of them are at the other end of the field so I don't get up to them too often. I played with them for a few years, we know each other from college, but I focus on myself for the game, I don't focus on them too much.”

Sheedy has Tipperary on the right road, but the upcoming Munster showpiece is all that matters at the moment .”Off to a good start you could say, I suppose,” Maher says about the group phase.

“We set out at the start of the Munster Championship to get off to a winning start against Cork. Thankfully we did. We took the momentum and won our four games. We just have to reset now, to knuckle back down to focus on the Munster Final.”