New Tipperary U20 hurling manager James Woodlock says his remit is to ensure players are as close to senior-ready as possible when they graduate from the underage grade. 

“My role, from my chats with the county board, is to develop these players so that, when they leave U20, the ones who are good enough to play senior are ready to play, not that Liam [Cahill] has to spend another two or three years trying to develop them further,” Woodlock told Tipp FM’s Extra Time. 

“S&C now starts at 14 rather than at minor, as it probably did back when I came through the development squads in 2002 and 2003, I wasn’t afforded the S&C, gym and nutrition work that players are afforded now.

“Now it’s a complete open book and a massive learning environment for the players when they come in. Players do develop differently. A player might take until 22 or 23, and that can happen too. My job is to have as many as possible ready to play when they leave U20.

“When they leave at 21, they shouldn’t be too far away. Their eyes should be open to what’s expected of them so that, when they go into Liam Cahill at senior level, they don’t get any shock.

“It will be my job to have shown them everything that will be expected when they hit the senior ranks. But players develop differently. I won’t put inches onto players or take inches off players.”

Woodlock spent six seasons in charge of the Tipperary minor team, winning two All-Ireland titles, before making the move up to U20 level. His final minor side lost this year’s All-Ireland decider by a point to Limerick. However, he believes Tipperary were the best side at minor level in 2026.

“The way this year ended for the minors was difficult because I felt, and I still believe, that we were the best minor team in the country,” he said.

“There’s no question about that. But for various reasons, it didn’t work out on the day. I still think we’re going to have loads of those players who will follow through and sustain Tipperary at both U20 and senior level. Not all of them, but some of them will come through.”

The new role attracted him “because there’s no player I’m going to work with now who won’t have come through me, seen me at some stage, worked under me, won under me or lost under me. That relationship is there. That made it more appealing and it should make it easier because we know the players.”

Woodlock urged patience is required with young players, even those like Darragh McCarthy, Sam O’Farrell, and Oisín O’Donoghue who were part of the Tipperary All-Ireland winning team in 2025.

“We’re back in the melting pot at senior level with every other county,” said Woodlock.

“We haven’t shown that we can stay at the top level with these young players yet because some of them are still so young.

“They may have to be 22 or 23 before they’re fully ready. The likes of Darragh, Sam and Oisín are still only 20 and 21. They’re so young.

“You go to the club games and some of the players are massively conditioned. Even sending a 20-year-old in against them, it will take time. The Tipp public will have to realise that the work is being done to the absolute maximum and the highest standard possible.

“We need time to embed these players, and Liam needs time to bring them in when they leave U20 and give them another year or two to settle before we can be successful.

“With all the talent we have coming through, you would hope we can continue that conveyor belt into the senior team. When those players mature into their mid-20s, it should sustain us for a good period of time.

“If we can keep that conveyor belt going, you’re only looking for a couple of players every year rather than needing a total influx of youth to rejuvenate the whole thing.”