“Horses for courses” – Mark O’Leary expecting flexibility in Tipp hurling team this year

Paddy Cadell in action for Tipperary. (c) Sportsfocus.ie

Tipperary All-Ireland winner Mark O’Leary expects flexibility in team selection to play an important role in success for the Tipp hurlers this year.

Liam Sheedy’s men travel to Mullingar this afternoon to face Westmeath in the National Hurling League, looking to build on their unbeaten start.

Captain Séamus Callanan has been named to start in what will be his first competitive action of the season, while Brendan Maher starts at 6 and Brian Hogan replaces Barry Hogan in the goals.

We’ll have live commentary here on Tipp FM for the 2pm throw-in, with thanks to Bernie’s SuperValu, Roscrea.

Kilruane and former Tipp hurler Mark O’Leary doesn’t expect the team to have fixed positions throughout the championship, particularly in the back line:

“Horses for courses is what they used to say. I think it was very obvious when Tipp won in 2019 that we had different full backs taking up different roles based on who the full forward was on any given day.

“I think that’s something you have to do these days, to pick the most suitable player in that position for the game coming up. Rather than saying this is our full back, this is our centre back, our corner backs, and so on.”

Mark was previewing the game while speaking to Shane Brophy on Across The Line here on Tipp FM, back on Friday evenings from 6pm.

You can hear the interview with Mark in the player below at the start of the programme.