Corbett 'happy enough to be just playing like'

We all know that Thurles is the home of hurling. That’s a given. You would assume then that Tipperary would be the team to beat when it came to the ancient game. That’s not a given. Down through the years Tipperary were a team to fear, a team to be respected, a team to measure your sides performance off. But the Premier County have slipped down the pecking order in recent times and it will be seven years this September since a beaming Declan Carr climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand. 

Tipperary have not gone away. Far from it. But the recent emergence of teams in Munster such as Waterford and Limerick and the continued dominance of Kilkenny and Cork have left the Tipperary hurling faithful wondering if the good times will ever return.

Tipperary are always mentioned when it comes to predicting the four or five teams that are genuine contenders for glory on September’s first Sunday but more often than not they are also rans rather than outright winners.

One man determined to change that is Lar Corbett. The 26-year-old Thurles Sarsfields clubman has been tormenting defences the length and breadth of the country for the last number of years. And this pursuit is once again high on his list of things to do for 2008.

Tipperary start their Allianz National Hurling League campaign on Sunday against Offaly in Semple Stadium and Corbett will spearhead the attack from full-forward.

"I'm happy enough just to be playing like, you know?!," Corbett modestly admits. 

The publican's son is no stranger to the number 14 jersey for both club and county and he put in some fine performances further out the field in Tipperary’s league and championship runs in 2007.

"Yeah, last year I kind of started off in the corner, kind of roaming around. But I don't mind playing in any of the six forward positions. I've no real preference at all. As long as I’m playing. I'm just trying to get the start and build from the beginning of the year."

The laid-back Thurles man is a rangy, athletic looking hurler and he seems to thrive when afforded even the minimum amount of space. To this degree he enjoys his forays out around the half-forward line and midfield.

"I think sometimes around the middle of the field, if the ball falls right for you there's a lot of space and you can run on to a few balls. Inside in the full you've to take a chance and sometimes the chances don't come. So it's kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other you know.

"You just have to take a chance around the middle of the field. Then you could be inside in the full another day and you could get a couple of handy balls. But I was happy enough with my fitness last year. I was able to travel around the middle of the field. And that was probably a major factor."  

There are a handful of hurling folk in Ireland that deserve to be listened to when they give their opinion on all matters relating to the stick and ball, and the former Wexford manager, Liam Griffin is certainly one of those.

The popular hotelier is of the belief that Tipperary are a team on the move and are the dark-horses for league and championship honours this year.

Corbett is not convinced however, despite the fact that Tipperary are one of the few teams in the country who currently have some silverware in their possession.

Victory over Waterford in the recent Waterford Crystal Cup final is by no means an indication to the form of any team according to Corbett.

"It's very hard to know because we’re after playing a few Waterford Crystal matches and you can't really read much into that.

"No, I wouldn't read much into the Waterford Crystal because I think all that is good for is the colleges. I think it's very good to see how colleges are going for the Fitzgibbon Cup. It gives them a good idea. They are good matches for the colleges, I think, that's my own opinion."

"As for Tipperary being dark horses for the league?! I wouldn’t go on that either," Corbett added.

"Our first match is again Offaly on Sunday and I'm looking forward to playing in that. I think we've to take every step as it comes. Last year we played Offaly in the championship and it was a draw going in at half-time and we were lucky to beat them. We had a narrow escape again Dublin up in Parnell Park. So all we are trying to do is start off small and try and build gradually. But you can’t read too much into anything in January or February I think."  

The underage structure is flourishing in Tipperary and there has been an injection of new blood into the Premier set-up. Corbett is adamant that new, young players add a lot to a panel and focus the mind of some of the old-stagers.

"There are a few lads after coming onto the team. The two lads there from Killenaule, Pat Kerwick and Joe Ceasar are flying. And you have Pa Bourke coming into his own there as well. It’s great to see these lads coming forward. And you’ve Paddy Stapleton there from Borrisoleigh.

"It's great to see because what it does is put pressure on the rest of us and that's what we all need. Anyone that's in a comfort zone is kind of fighting a losing battle. So it's good to see these lads coming through, it's puts us all under a bit of pressure."

If Tipperary get off to a good start in the league, and see off the challenge of Offaly a bigger challenge lies ahead the following weekend when they square up to the 2007 Munster and All-Ireland finalists, Limerick. Winning both of their league matches is and achieveable goal but Corbett is taking nothing for granted.  

"Well you'd be happy enough to win any of the matches. But Limerick are a tough team. Limerick were probably one of the toughest team I played against last year in the league. You could see in their league performances that they were going to do well in the championship. I don't think it was luck last year that got them to a final."  

The teams epic battles in last year's championship had the nation's attention in a vice-like grip before the Shannonsiders eventually triumphed. Tipperary were considered to be slightly unlucky to lose out in the end but you'd have to think that the matches will stand the Tipperary team in good stead this year.

"Like you would be hoping that it would but you never know. The three matches that we had last year we thought might stand to us as the year went on but things didn't go that way either."

Corbett doesn't believe that the team got tired towards the end of the championship and that the same run this year would not inconvenience them.

"No I don't think we did. Because the way it is with the league is you could play six league matches in eight weeks. So we didn't mind playing six or seven matches. We didn't mind because you're going to be training every weekend anyway. If you ask any of the lads there that played all the matches week after week last year they'd say to you they wouldn't mind doing the same thing again this year. Because you get into a comfortable zone playing matches every weekend."

When asked whether there would be much emphasis put on the league Corbett replied, "Anytime that Tipperary go out to play a match they go out to win it no matter what it is. We always like to win. But no way would we be putting much emphasis on it.

"All we are trying to do is put good performances together and try and get a good balanced team and get the young lads coming through to push on everyone else. If it all came together that way then you'd be looking forward to the start of the championship.

The championship is where the new Tipperary management team will really be tested but Corbett admits that preparations are going well so far.  

"Things are going very well this year. Liam's after bringing a different angle and you have Eamon O'Shea and Mike Ryan there as well. It's still very early in the year but things are going well so far.

"Liam was involved there in 2003 when Mikey Doyle was in charge. He was a selector at that time and he was very good. I thought he was excellent. That was my first time experiencing him in a management set-up. Of course he did very well then with the minors as you know. Then this year he's after coming in and there's a lot of experience there and it’s working to his favour at the moment. And things are going very well." 

So can the Premier County win the league and would it do them any harm if that situation did arise?

"Sure you don't know. You just have to live in hope in a lot of ways. The majority of times when you see teams going well in January and February they are not there when September comes around. But no it wouldn't do any team any harm to win the league. You see Kilkenny there for the last few years winning the league and they are well able to keep going you know.

A lot of the attention has been focused on the Cork players's strike in the last number of weeks and as it stands it looks unlikely that the Rebels will compete in the league, and maybe not in the championship. Corbett believes Ireland's two premier hurling competitions would not be the same without Cork's involvement.

"It's looking like that alright. It doesn't look good at the moment anyway. We have them in the first round of the Munster championship. We want to play Cork like, you know. A Munster medal wouldn't mean much to me without playing the best of them. In saying that though we are only looking at it from the outside. And I don't really know what’s going on. I think to comment on it and have an opinion on it you'd really need to know what’s going on."

While Corbett is proud to put on the blue and gold of Tipperary he gets equal satisfaction out of lining out for his club, Thurles Sarsfields.

The Sars won the county title in 2005 but things have not progressed since then. This year they were the only team to beat Loughmore-Castleiney who are now All-Ireland club semi-finalists but while the Thurles side flounder their neighbours Loughmore go from strength to strength.  

"Since Sarsfields won the county final in 2005 we haven't really performed at all I think."

Why is that?

"Now that is the million dollar question. If I knew that we'd be winning them every year. You just don't know. Sarsfields have a good panel of players. We had good management for the last number of years. There's a new management in again this year a very good management team. It's up to the players then to perform. The best teams don't win matches. The teams that want it the most win matches. It's very hard to know why. But we're not playing our potential, or what we think is our potential."

"That’s why when you look at it there you have to admire Toomevara when you see what they are doing year in year out. And then when you see what Loughmore are after achieving this year. Sure it is unbelieveable. If you were to say the day after that match that Loughmore were going to go on and contest an All-Ireland final or get so close to it no one would have believed you. It just goes to show that they must have great heart. They are going well and there's not much going to stop them. Portumna seem to be the best team in it you know. But no matter what happens Loughmore can't complain with how far they are after getting."

You would think the quicker, summer ground would suit players such as Corbett but he is as comfortable on softer, spring ground.

"I think hurling at this time of the year is like two different sports. You've to be strong this time of the year. The ground is bad but I think this is where you get the proper fitness and then you get the confidence for the summer time. You try and get matches under your belt and try and just get going."

On a tip for the All-Ireland Corbett gives a very widely held viewpoint.

"Sure you can't look past Kilkenny. They are the best team in the country for the last four or five years, along with Cork. As regards Waterford. Sure the whole country wants Waterford to win the All-Ireland and they are a good team. When you still look at their team on paper they still have a very good team."

Elaborating on Kilkenny and their dominance, not only in Leinster but in the championship as a whole Corbett mused, "Kilkenny are definitely the best team in Leinster. They'll probably win the Leinster final again this year and go straight into an All-Ireland semi-final.

"I wouldn't agree with those who say Kilkenny have an easy route. I think last year and the year before whoever puts up against Kilkenny they are still beating them. I think they beat Wexford twice, Galway were put up in front of them they beat Galway. Limerick, the best team in Munster last year were put up in front of them, they beat Limerick.

"Any team that is being put up in front of Kilkenny they're beating them anyway. They might have an easier route but still they're beating every team along the way year in year out. So I still think that they are the ones to beat. They're the team you judge yourself off."  

*This interview originally appeared on setantasports.com