'Dillon is in our minds every time we take the field,' says Tipperary hurler ahead of Sunday

Tipperary will face Kilkenny in Croke Park on Sunday

This Sunday is a big occasion for Craig Morgan and several of his teammates who, for many, is their first trip to hurl at the Jones’s Road venue, but the Kilruane MacDonaghs man has had his great friend Dillon Quirke on his mind throughout his journey to this point in his intercounty career, and he revealed that he always has Quirke with him when he runs out onto the pitch in a Tipperary jersey.

“He’s still there in the dressing room. He’s still running out of the tunnel with us,” Morgan said about Quirke.

“I know he’ll be there next Sunday as well. Obviously, he’s in our minds every time we take the field. It’s a privilege to go out and still wear the jersey. And to still play for him.

“I know, even on the last day, I was wearing the number five jersey with him as well. It’s nice to bring it back to earth, I suppose. That he’s there with us. He definitely is."

He continued: “He’s still a huge part of us on this journey. Sometimes, if you’re ever wondering why you do it, it’s very easy to realise why you do it and why you make sacrifices.

“Definitely, you’d like to imagine him there being as involved as much as we are. He’s still part of that team where we had U21. He was there when the lows were there as well.

“We don’t forget that either. Dillon was there when we weren’t winning matches. He’s definitely there when we’re heading up to Croke Park,” he finished.