GAELIC GAMES:IF ANYONE could be forgiven for running low on enthusiasm for hurling right now, it's surely Lar Corbett. The Tipperary forward has had an incredibly long and ultimately brilliant season, underlined by his hat-trick of goals in the epic All-Ireland final win over Kilkenny, then set in bold by his second All Star and both the GAA's and GPA's Hurler of the Year awards.
Yet here he is, almost three months after his man-of-the-match display in Tipperary’s All-Ireland victory, trying to raise his game once again: this time for Sunday’s AIB Munster hurling final with his club Thurles Sarsfields. Truth is Corbett couldn’t be any more enthusiastic about Sunday, not least of all because his Thurles club have never won the Munster title.
In fact Sunday marks their first final appearance, and even though their opponents, De La Salle of Waterford, won this title only two years ago, Thurles Sarsfields will start as marginal favourites. Corbett’s presence on their team effectively explains that, as he’s maintained his goal-scoring record practically throughout the Tipperary championship, and also claimed the crucial goal in their narrow win over Kilmallock in the Munster semi-final.
There was a bit of a scare last week when some sort of winter vomiting bug hit the Thurles camp, with Corbett among those reportedly laid low for a few days. However, Corbett dismissed those fears yesterday and declared his and his team-mates full fitness for Sunday’s showdown at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“Yeah a few of the lads got a little sick alright last week,” said Corbett, who hit 6-11 over the course of the Tipperary’s championship. “But no, everything is perfect now, and we’re just looking forward to Sunday.”
Of course Thurles Sarsfields are far from a one-man show; fellow All-Ireland winners Pádraic Maher and Pa Burke have been equally outstanding this season and there’s been some big scoring too from Denis Maher and John Enright.
Indeed it’s something of a mystery as to why they’ve never claimed a Munster club championship. In beating Clonoulty-Rossmore in the county final last month, they claimed their 31st Tipperary title – which is still way more than the next best, Toomevara, who have won 22. It was also their third county title in six years, have also won in 2005 and 2009. But they’ve never quite managed to transfer that form to the Munster club championship, although it should be said their peak years, in the 1950s and early 1960s, pre-dated the Munster club championship, which only started in 1964.
Manager Michael Gleeson was recently named a selector on the new Tipperary hurling management team of Declan Ryan and coach Tommy Dunne, to succeed Liam Sheedy – but for now his focus is entirely on Sunday’s game and facing the challenge of the Waterford champions. Thurles are down one man and have known about it for a while, as former Tipperary captain Ger “Redser” O’Grady remains suspended following the two-month ban imposed after he was sent off in the county semi-final.
De La Salle, who have Waterford forward John Mullane leading their attack and came through an extremely tough battle against Cork champions Sarsfields in their semi-final, are looking to win the Munster title for only the second time. Yet Thurles Sarsfield are quoted as 4 to 9 favourites to advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals, where they’ll meet newly-crowned Galway champions Clarinbridge, on February 18th.
In Sunday’s Leinster hurling club final, Oulart-the-Ballagh are 4 to 6 favourites with O’Loughlin Gaels quoted 7 to 5, while up north, Crossmaglen Rangers are 4 to 9 to beat Naomh Conaill in the Ulster club football final and claim their eighth provincial title.
Meanwhile, former Galway and Portumna captain Ollie Canning has reiterated his intention to retire from intercounty hurling, confirming to manager John McIntyre that the 2010 season was his last.
Long-serving Dublin hurling forward Kevin Flynn has also announced his decision to retire from the intercounty game after some 15 years service, having made his senior debut in the league season of 1995.
