Dan Shanahan says that Tadhg De Burca is back to his best after recovering from two cruciate knee ligament injuries. The Clashmore/Kinsalebeg defender has started the last four league games for Liam Cahill's side.
"The best centre back in the country by a country mile," he told WLR's Lár Na Páirce. "I've seen him in the gym doing stuff that I wouldn't dream of doing myself! Unbelievable athlete. Unbelievable man off the field, an animal on the field. Granted, Pádraig Walsh got a few points last week but that was Tadhg's first big game at that intensity. I wouldn't worry one bit, he's a phenomenal player. To do two cruciates and to come back in the physical shape he's in and the mental shape he's in, it's a credit to the young fella. It's no joke doing your cruciate ligament twice, it's so hard on the head more than the body. The way he's come back, he's only going to get better and better I can assure you."
He gives the Déise back line an extra layer of security according to Shanahan. "Presence alone. He's well able to read the game. I was lucky enough to be involved with him, we sat him in front of Barry Coughlan. It wasn't a sweeper, our lads just filtered back. People say that we played a sweeper, we didn't play a sweeper, we just sat Tadhg in front of Barry and our midfielders closed the gap which is what you do. He's powerful in the air, he's powerful on the ground. He can go over and back in that half back line. His reading of the game is unbelievable."
The 2007 Hurler of the Year has been blown away by Waterford's fitness levels. "I see what the lads do in the gym. They put in phenomenal work and that's what you have to do. I was lucky to be involved with the boys four years ago and the levels then were unbelievable and they're gone up another step now. It's a credit to them. They're amateur players playing a professional sport."
Hear more from Dan Shanahan on Lár Na Páirce from 6.10 on WLR.
