Shane McGrath: No room for error for Tipperary as Allianz Hurling League looms

Shane McGrath believes the introduction of emerging panel members will give Tipperary a lift as they prepare for the Allianz Hurling League but adds that there is urgency to get off to a winning start after they were upset by Kerry in the Munster Hurling Cup semi-finals last month.

Colm Bonnar's side open their Division 1 campaign against Laois on Saturday at the end of a week which saw the highly decorated All-Ireland winner Pádraic Maher announce his retirement at 32.

Ex-Tipperary 2010 All-Ireland winner McGrath and Ryan O'Dwyer joined RTÉ's Game On to look ahead to the league's opening weekend and the former pointed to fringe players within the Premier County panel who can make an impact in the lead-up to the championship.

"There's no point in trying to say you're going to replace Pádraic Maher because he's one of the greatest, if not the greatest, defender maybe Tipp have ever had," said McGrath.

"But to be fair to Colm Bonnar, what he's tried to do is give lads who haven't got a go the last few years, he's going to give them a go.

"Denis Maher is getting rewarded for a great club season and no more so than Conor Lehane is down in Cork.

"Mark Kehoe is starting at full-forward. He was really lifting last year for Tipp and was very unlucky not to make the team.

"You've new guys, the likes of James Quigley, Cathal Barrett is starting at corner back so that's good experience. Séamus Kennedy in the half-back line and Michael Breen and Alan Flynn in midfield, so they still have a lot of the well-known names there but I suppose what are Tipp looking for this year?

"They are looking to hit the ground running. Tipp is a very proud hurling county and with all due respect to Kerry and Laois, if Colm Bonnar's first two games were a loss