Liam Sheedy admits that there is no like-for-like replacement for “unique” cruciate victim Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher.
The Lorrha man’s season is over after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Tipperary’s win over Limerick on Sunday, with Sheedy speaking ahead of the two counties’ Munster final meeting on June 30.
The Tipp boss also said that corner-back Cathal Barrett is virtually certain to miss the game due to a hamstring strain but that fellow Niall O’Meara should be back in contention after sitting out the last two games, also due to a hamstring problem.
Commenting on the injury to in-form Maher, Sheedy said: “He was in full flow and a Bonner in full flow is a very difficult man to mark and I’m gutted for him on a personal level.
“But the show must go on and he will be an integral part of our team even though he is not inside the white lines because he has been a really strong leader in this group.
“He has been there 10 years at this stage and unfortunately we lose his impact on the pitch.
“But it presents a chance for my panel now. Everybody knows the importance of the strength of the unit and can the panel manage to deal with this?”
Sheedy conceded that whoever slots into the team in place of Maher will not bring the same skillset but is confident that he’ll find a more than adequate replacement.
He added: “He is a unique sort of player but at the same time there are a number of players that I could name off that have really good Championship form and there’s other guys that are young and champing at the bit so we’re not looking to replace a Bonner with Bonner, you don’t do that.
“But you are looking to know if you can get the next guy to step in and play to their level, I’d be very, very happy and I am absolutely happy that we will find that player.
“A Championship that’s as bruising as the Munster Championship, you’re not going to get through that unscathed so unfortunately for us it’s Bonner and the real strength of this unit is going to be tested, especially in the Munster final, which is a good place to be tested and we will be tested going in against the All-Ireland and League champions.”
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