Liam Sheedy lost his dad when he was two and in latter years, he lost his brother.
It’s why, when matches are getting tight and when he’s looking for inspiration, the Portroe manager often stares at the sky.
“There was definitely somebody minding me a few times in those matches when we just managed to get over the line,” Sheedy says now.
He took a few tight ones in his time.
Having won All-Irelands in separate stints, Sheedy will go down, regardless of whether he lifts a finger again, as one of the most influential managers in Tipperary hurling history.
As far as his own influences go, Sheedy says that were very close to home.
“Dad was 47 and Jimmy was 47 when he passed,” Sheedy told us this week, “so maybe they were just in another room as the fella says,” he adds.
“They were tough times. You think about all those people as well when they weren’t around for what would have been very special days for them.”
Although Sheedy managed the Tipperary minors to an All-Ireland title in 2006, he was still a relative unknown taking the senior job in 2007. He agrees that having to fend for himself as a youngster equipped him for the challenge of getting the Tipp dressing room on side.
“My mother was well looked after – she didn’t have a car, so I was taken to hurling matches by neighbours. Someone with come and throw me into a car and bring me to the great games.
“That gave me a grá for it. It doesn’t matter what your background is or how much money you have…if you can make use of a hurley and ball and do well, it does open great doors and great avenues.
“The best thing I did was spend time in my youth down on that Portroe hurling field because it’s given me way more than I can ever give back.”
"In one way, I probably lost one and gained three".
Chaill Liam Sheedy a athair nuair a bhí sé dhá bhliain d'aois.
🥎 Laochra Gael – Liam Sheedy
📅 Déardaoin / Thursday
⏰ 21:30
📺 ar @TG4TV@LiamLsheedy | @PortroeGAACamo | @TipperaryGAA#LaochraGaelpic.twitter.com/OsvYzSfJSn— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) March 1, 2023
“The three lads (brothers) were a good bit older than me, so they had more of an influence on me in my younger years than they probably realised.”
In his time as a manager, Sheedy faced plenty of setbacks. The ten point loss to Cork in the 2010 Munster championship was one, the 12 point loss to Limerick in 2019 was another.
But Tipperary responded the same to both losses, winning All-Irelands later on in the year.
“Personally, I think I have good, strong bouncebackability,” says Sheedy.
“And I think that’s important for you. You see some teams and when they hit the flat spot or the wobbly spot, they can’t really recover from it.
“Whereas I definitely would try and get my head up. After losing the Munster final in 2019, I was at home in bed at 11 or 12 o’clock, I’d say my notes file was filled before 4 o’clock in the morning.
“I was still writing notes about things that could have been done differently. I went to visit the gym in Thurles and all the boys were in there. I went to visit the gym in Nenagh and the rest of them were there. I said to myself, ‘I’ll tell you what now, we’re far from a beaten docket’.
“We separated the Munster Championship from the All-Ireland series and we were now gearing up for the All-Ireland series.
“We got straight back on the horse. I think an important piece for me is really being able to deal with those setbacks. Unfortunately in life there has been setbacks.
“Some things are really, really difficult to manage but it’s always good to have that perspective. I place a huge emphasis on the recovery process but the healing process does take time…”
Kiladangan club-man and former Tipperary hurler Darragh Egan was a part of Sheedy’s All-Ireland winning backroom team in 2019 and, as Wexford manager, he’s mired in a setback of his own now.
In front of their home crowd, Wexford were beaten by 22 points by Clare last Sunday. As words of encouragement for Egan and Wexford, Sheedy recalls a 2009 trouncing by Kilkenny.
“It was a fairly dark moment going down the tunnel at half-time and the roaring “Go on, stay going lads, the bus is running!”
“I think it was 4-9 to 1-4 at half-time. Within four weeks we were playing them in Thurles in what I’d consider one of the best league finals ever played. It was an incredible match. We took them to extra time. And we matched them physically. I know Seamus hopped off Brian Hogan.
“Some days in leagues, you can get a day it doesn’t happen.
“Wexford had one of those on Sunday.
Ultimately, Darragh Egan and Brian Lohan and all the managers won’t be measured on a league game in February, it will all be measured on the group games that gets them into the top three.
“No matter what happened yesterday, the bottom line is that if you don’t have players like Rory O’Connor, Lee Chin and Matthew O’Hanlon on the pitch, they probably don’t have the back-up right now to take on those leadership roles.
“Wexford need to get their full team on the pitch. They have been dogged by injuries. But I don’t think a hiding in the league defines you. It can really focus minds.
“The Clare team that looked a shadow of themselves in Limerick. Were very, very poor. The game was pedestrian. Was over so quickly. Then to see the Clare team that took to the pitch yesterday. There’s no doubt John Conlon and Tony Kelly and these guys coming back in were a big plus.
“A line that I often use, “nobody remembers matches in February”.
Liam Sheedy’s Laochra Gael will be shown on TG4 this Thursday night at 9.30.
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