Liam Sheedy felt Jake Morris made a "statement" in how he played for Tipperary in their Munster Hurling Championship clash with Limerick on Sunday.
Morris scored four points from play in the draw. This is the Nenagh Éire Óg man's sixth season on the panel. He was part of the side which won the All-Ireland title in 2019 when Sheedy was manager.
'Tipperary need guys like Jake Morris, like Mark Kehoe, like Conor Bowe'
"Jake Morris has to come in for a special mention," Sheedy told The Sunday Game.
"He got four wonderful points in that first half. Some of them were of the highest order. Again, he's anxious to take on his man. It's not a surprise that he got five goals in the league, he got 2-4 against Clare the first day.
"He's really coming of age. He's 24 years of age. He's always coming off the shoulder, will pop up, and is a great man to get a score.
"Tipperary need guys like Jake Morris, like Mark Kehoe, like Conor Bowe coming in. This is sending a message to say that maybe it's time for the younger brigade to come.
"He comes across Declan Hannon and more or less says, 'Maybe your time is on the way out, and my time is on the way up'. There was a statement in how he approached his game today. Even in the last few minutes, he was back in his own half.
"Very, very impressive from Cathal O'Neill on one side but equally impressive from Jake Morris."
21 May 2023; Jake Morris of Tipperary is tackled by Darragh O'Donovan of Limerick, left, during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 4 match between Tipperary and Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Kilkenny great Jackie Tyrrell added that Morris has become more consistent this season.
"One of the criticisms you'd have of him is a lack of consistency. He's been so consistent this year," said Tyrrell.
"If you go back to the league final, when he marked Sean Finn and Sean Finn held him scoreless... No Sean Finn today, and he gets five points, this is how good this guy is, and it shows the loss of Sean Finn to this Limerick team, and how it's hurting them as well.
Regarding O'Neill, Sheedy added: "Some of the younger guys I thought really stepped up. For Limerick, Cathal O'Neill wasn't down to start. I'm not sure when he found out. Maybe they might try this again. He's only 21 and he's been very, very impressive throughout the league.
"In the first half, he got three wonderful points. He's very comfortable off right and left. Some of the chances, I was saying 'Should he have went for it?' He was very, very accurate today. I think he had six chances and he nailed five of them.
"Even at the start of the second half, when Limerick were looking for scores, he was the man stepping up."
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