Lesser brothers may have allowed something like this to come between them.
Dan Shanahan is one of Derek McGrath’s most trusted lieutenants, the former hurler of the year a prominent figure on the sideline in his backwards baseball cap and shorts.
Ahead of last Sunday’s titanic draw with Kilkenny, selector Shanahan was entrusted with a delicate and unpleasant task by McGrath – he had to tell his younger brother that he would not be starting in Croke Park.
His younger brother is no fringe player, his younger brother is Maurice Shanahan – 2015 All-Star forward and one of the key components of McGrath’s exciting young team.
However with the Déise changing their approach and opting for pace in a more conventional forward division, Maurice was the man to make way.
Speaking on Thursday’s GAA Hour Hurling Show Dan admitted it was not a pleasant task breaking the news to his little brother.
“It was tough to be honest with you, it was very tough. To tell your brother that you’re dropped off the team, it is tough. I won’t tell lies, there is no point in papering over it, it is tough.
“Considering he had done well in the previous games – he wasn’t 120% firing but a lot of lads hadn’t fired up to last week’s game. It was hard,” said Shanahan.
Maurice made an impact in the second half when he was introduced, scoring a fine point and setting up another with a clever lay-off. His brother expected no less from the forward, who did not allow his disappointment effect his preparations.
“Again it is not about me or Maurice or anyone else it is about Waterford and the players he is training with. He dealt with it brilliantly, he took it on the chin, so he did, and he came out training during the week and he was fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
“That was the way we were brought up, to be honest with you, it is not about me or Maurice or whoever gets dropped – Paddy Curran was great too, he took it on the chin. He was back training and it was all about getting the performance in for the lads he had been training with all year and trying to get Waterford a win.”
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the whole affair for Maurice would have been the fact he missed out on playing alongside other attackers in a conventional forward line – in earlier rounds he was the hurling equivalent of a lone striker as Waterford’s other forwards filtered back the pitch to shore up the defence.
He will hope to regain his place for Saturday evening’s replay in Thurles, with Shanahan reminding everyone his little brother is still one of the country’s best players.
“He is an All-Star hurler. If I am being 100% honest with you he is one of the top forwards in the country and to not playing in the first six on the Waterford team is not an issue or anything, it is just the way it came. We went with something different.”
Listen to the whole interview with Dan from 10 minutes into the latest GAA Hour below. Subscribe here on iTunes.
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