MCGRATH STILL A MASTER FOR GRATEFUL JAKE

JAKE MORRIS says evergreen Tipperary teammate Noel McGrath is “getting better" as Liam Cahill's side get back on the All-Ireland trail this weekend.

- BY PAT NOLAN

Having broken Brendan Cummins’ Tipperary Championship appearances record in the second round of the Munster round robin against Cork, McGrath is in line to play his 77th Championship game for the Premier in tomorrow's All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Laois in Portlaoise.

With plenty of mileage on the clock, particularly with numerous draining club campaigns with Loughmore-Castleiney in both codes behind him, the 34-year-old is not an automatic starter these days, with Cahill using him as an impact sub in three of their four Championship games.

As the last survivor from Tipperary’s All-Ireland winning side of 2010, McGrath is by far their most experienced player and it shows both on and off the pitch, says Morris.