McGrath remains unfazed by potential busy schedule on two final fronts

UNDER-21 HURLING ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS:NOEL McGRATH settles into the chair to discuss the All-Ireland under-21 semi-final against Antrim on Saturday in Tullamore. Only problem is those asking the questions want him to talk about his previous outing for Tipperary.

Unfortunately, McGrath is not much of a talker. He is a hurler and a damn fine one too. There was a worry maybe he was not as good as the initial clamour. Then at Croke Park last Sunday as a centre forward he made a telling contribution as Tipp charted safe passage to a second successive All-Ireland final against Kilkenny.

Along with several other senior panellists, he is back with his under-21s team-mates (McGrath, still only 19, has another year at the age grade) to prepare for the Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland semi-final that seems to have arrived at an inopportune moment. “That’s just the way it goes. We just have to get on with it. There’s nothing we can do about it now, we just have to do our best.”

But are you, Patrick Maher, Brendan Maher, Liam Cahill, Pádraig Maher and Brian O’Meara not all losing a week of vital preparation?

Never mind the risk of injury that has afflicted Kilkenny after a weekend of club championship games (the Tipperary board drew a line through their fixtures so McGrath will not be facing Cashel this Sunday). “Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. It is as it is, we’ll just have to get on with it, there’s nothing we can do about it. If you’re not hungry for it at this time of year you’ve no business being there so we’re gearing up for a few big weeks, hopefully starting on Saturday now.”

What about the shift to centre forward? This was new territory for McGrath, who normally operates at centre field, in the corner or on the wing. Suddenly he was driving through the middle. “It’s the one place I never played before. I had played on the wing or midfield but centre is one of the places I never had before. Luckily enough everything went well on the day.”

We suspect he needed this big performance, although his return to form had been evident at club level recently.

“When the team is winning games you don’t mind how you’re going as long as you’re doing your bit to get the team over the line. That’s what counts really. If you’re looking after yourself you’re at nothing. If you’re looking out for the team and team is doing well you’ll be happy.”

Either way, he is back and Tipp folk can smile again. They need him on September 5th. They need everyone. But first the detour to Tullamore before the route straightens to the most eagerly-anticipated hurling final in decades.