Getting closer to Kilkenny not enough for restored Fanning

TIPPERARY'S DECLAN FANNING:DECLAN FANNING must feel like he's been in a game of musical chairs.

A relative latecomer to the senior intercounty scene at the age of 25 five seasons ago, the experienced defender has had a varied career, which includes a season with the county’s footballers in 2003 before he debuted for the hurlers.

That debut came in the 2004 qualifiers against Limerick as centre back and he went on to enjoy successive seasons at right wing back (2005), right corner back (2006) and full back (2007), where he was so successful an All Star followed in recognition.

A year later and he wasn’t on the team before emerging this season again at right wing back where he has been an ever-present throughout the campaign, one of only three players to have hurled every minute of this year’s championship to date – a record of consistency that applies to virtually all of his career.

Throughout his career apart from last year – when injury during the league meant he lost his place to Paul Curran and didn’t get back for the summer – Fanning has never been replaced in a championship match.

Returned to the wing this season he is happier with the greater involvement.

“Yes, you’re seeing more ball, contesting more ball but I’m just happy to be playing. When you see the calibre of player on the line, the likes of Shane Maher who had a super year last year, playing well but got injured at the start of this year – you see Diarmaid Fitzgerald, Benny Dunne. I’m just glad to be playing anywhere.”

Although he is happier farther out from goal he says the inside line is more physically demanding but less stressful.

“A lot of it I think is fitness. Aerobically, you’re doing a lot more running out on the half-back line. If you were used to playing in the full-back line for a couple of years, you’d find you’re not doing the same amount of running.

“Aerobically, you have to build yourself up more. It takes a while to do that if you’re used to being in the corners. You are making short runs; you’re not actually doing a lot of running. That was the main difference.

“You’re the last line of defence there. If you slip up it’s either going to be a goal or a point.

“Maybe you can be a bit more relaxed out on the half-back line; maybe you can relax and do a bit more hurling. If one does go in behind you it’s not all lost.”

Nonetheless the pressure on Fanning and his colleagues will be intense, as Kilkenny’s half forwards are the bridgehead for the team going forward, targets for puck-outs as well as a scoring threat. He’s aware he and his half-back colleagues have a major responsibility.

“We have, but the whole team has a huge responsibility, all their lines are strong. They have six forwards who can play anywhere, any of them could play corner, full, centre, wing, so you don’t know who you’re going to be up against.

“You could be up against one for 20 minutes, another for 10, so no matter what line you’re on, no matter who you’re on, we have an unmerciful challenge facing us.”

When the teams met in the NHL final last May there was a consensus that a September renewal of acquaintances was on the cards. That match in Thurles was fairly oracular in its lessons: Tipp hit hard and pushed the All-Ireland champions all of the way but eventually lost a big lead in extra-time but equally, Kilkenny were well under strength.

Fanning accepts that the approach was intentionally physical.

“We tried that, yes. We were disappointed with our performance in Nowlan Park (earlier in the league) and we were trying to build a bit of momentum after that loss when we met them in the league final.

“We got a lot of praise for the way we put it up to them in that game, but we still didn’t beat them, we threw everything at them but they still beat us, and Kilkenny had a few players on the line who were All-Stars the previous year.

“People are saying, teams are really putting it up to Kilkenny this year, getting closer, sticking with them, but ultimately Kilkenny are still winning those games; no one has come up with a plan to beat them yet.

“We were disappointed to lose, we’d have preferred to not have a good performance and won the game – it’s of no use to us to have a good performance and lose.”

That same imperative will apply even more strongly on Sunday, as Tipperary take on a team 70 minutes from equalling the greatest record in GAA history: four successive senior All-Ireland titles. If the champions haven’t been as convincing this season Fanning is impatient with suggestions that the chasing pack are catching up.

“It’s something that kind of annoys me. Teams get closer to them but teams aren’t beating them. If I was on a team that teams were getting closer to but we were still beating them, I’d be delighted.

“A moral victory isn’t much good to anyone; you either win or you lose. Even though teams are getting closer to them, they’re in an All-Ireland final again, going for the four in a row. They just seem to be unstoppable at the minute no matter how close others are getting.”

Declan Fanning

ClubKillenaule

PositionRight wing back

Age30

Height6ft 2in

Weight14st

OccupationAgricultural mechanic at Coolmore Stud.

HonoursNHL 2008, Munster SHC 2008 and '09, Railway Cup 2007, All Star 2007.