IT WAS MEANT to be the biggest day of his hurling career but for Jason Forde it transpired to be ‘a disaster’.
A highly-rated player following his exploits at underage level, Forde was named to start on the Tipperary senior team for last June’s Munster semi-final against Limerick.
But then the Silvermines club man saw his dreams scuppered.
“I’d a stomach bug the night before. That was a bit of a disaster especially as it was only my first championship start. For something like that to happen was a big blow.
“I got on to the bus on the Sunday morning and I just went up to Eamon (O’Shea) and told him. I knew that something wasn’t right. I’d a chat with the doc and with the heat that was there that day, he said there was no chance for me and I’d only last a few minutes. They pulled the plug then.
“It was a huge disappointment. I’d only played bits of games in the league. To have it taken away through illness was a big thing for me.”
Forde’s disappointment was compounded when Tipperary suffered defeat to Limerick and when he did eventually make his senior championship debut last July, it was on a night when Kilkenny knocked out Tipperary in that seismic qualifier clash.
Next Sunday, it’s Limerick in the opposition corner facing Tipperary again but the fervent level of competition for places in Eamon O’Shea’s side means it’s difficult for Forde to know if he’ll be involved.
“It’s going to be really hard to get on the team. It’s a competitive environment and you have to take any chance you get. Our team will probably change from where it was last year. I’m sure Limerick’s team will have changed. Going on a game from last year is irrelevant in a way.
“We addressed key points where things could be improved on but after that then it was just put the shoulder to the wheel and go back training again. Moral victories aren’t any good to us. We’ve been close to Kilkenny over the last years and there’s only been a puck of a ball in it but at the end of the day when you don’t win, it’s disappointing.”
