Ryan: Tipp win will awaken other Kilkenny chasers
Other leading hurling counties will draw inspiration from Tipperary’s All-Ireland final win over Kilkenny, Tipp manager Michael Ryan believes.
Speaking to RTE after the game, Ryan said: “This is a fantastic day for Tipperary hurling. I think we might have awoken other giants that may have been sleeping.
“Every other county is going to take huge encouragement from what we’ve achieved this year.
“Because we’re all in the pot; every one of us hurling counties are chasing Kilkenny and those are the facts. And for one of us to come through and break that mould for once… don’t get me wrong, that’s not a foregone conclusion that that will ever happen again, such is the quality of Kilkenny.
“But I think we’re after sending home a lot of teams that I think will set 2017 alight.”
Ryan has reached the pinnacle in his first year at the Tipperary helm, though he was anxious to draw attention to the work done by previous management teams.
“I wouldn't over-egg that. It’s not my first year involved.
"The core of that team was solid and was always there.”
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has no complaints with his side’s nine-point defeat and refused to draw on the absence of injury-stricken Michael Fennelly as an excuse.
