Poignant words.
To say that Liam Cahill is an endearing and popular figure is an understatement.
He is clearly beloved by his team and supporters, and is well liked among neutrals.
His work to turnaround this Tipperary side from not winning a single championship game in 2024 to becoming All-Ireland champions has been astonishing.
After the final he showed his down-to-earth nature with a great quip about his mother.
He said: “I want to take the opportunity as well, if you don’t mind, to big shout out to my mam and dad at home.
“My mother probably has the rosary beads swallowed at this stage and my father probably has the cows milked three times with nervousness.”
Cahill then went on to pay a touching tribute to late Tipperary player Dillon Quirke, who passed away after collapsing during a club game at Semple Stadium in 2022.
Cahill, who was at Semple that day, spoke of the impact his death has had on the team.
He said: “Dillon is with us every day. When we started out in this journey in 2023 we were all hit with that devastating tragedy of what happened to Dillon.
“I was 50 yards from it the day it happened in Semple Stadium and I’ll never forget it. It had a huge effect on our dressing room.
“It had a huge effect. And it was a really difficult year, 2023 and 2024, around everybody trying to cope with it in their own way.
“I got a text from Dan, his dad, coming up the road to wish me luck. And I just said that Dillon will be on all our shoulders today regardless what happens in the result.
“He should be with us today but the legacy he’s leaving and the work that he’s doing to save lives across Ireland at the moment through his name and the foundation is just incredible.
“And today I never flinched at any stage on the line once he was across my chest, I knew that we would be battling right to the end. I’m just so proud to have had an input into his life for the for the short number of years he was with us.”
