THIS IS HOW it was for Seamus Callanan.
Six years ago in the All-Ireland final he came off the bench to shoot 0-2 in victory over Kilkenny. Three years ago in the All-Ireland qualifier he came off the bench to 0-2 in defeat to Kilkenny.
At the close of the 2013 season, he was a 25 year-old forward trying to nail down a starting berth for Tipperary. After being substituted in Tipperary’s 2010 qualifier against Wexford, Callanan only finished two of Tipperary’s next 16 championship games.
This is how it is now for Seamus Callanan. He’s an All-Ireland senior winner again just like in 2010, but the 28 year-old is now on course for a third All-Star on the bounce, the Hurler of the Year award and is the most lethal inside forward in the country.
He’s been on a hot scoring streak since the start of 2014, shouldering the responsibility of free-taking and revelling in being the go-to guy in Tipperary’s forward line.
- 2014 league: 5-62 from 7 games
- 2014 championship: 9-50 from 7 games
- 2015 league: 3-45 from 7 games
- 2015 championship: 5-20 from 3 games
- 2016 league: 0-4 from 2 games
- 2016 championship: 2-47 from 5 games
The All-Ireland final earlier this month was the crowning moment of Callanan’s growth and progression.
He again shot the lights out but this time blitzing the opposition defence for 0-13 on the biggest day on the hurling calendar, yielded the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
“You’d dream of it alright, but you’d wonder was it ever going to happen,” recalls Callanan.
“It was brilliant. Our own movement up front alright was very good but sure we’re nothing without the supply of ball from the midfielders and that.
“Sure, Ronan Maher and Paudie Maher, they’re unbelievable to hit in quality ball.”
Michael Ryan was at the helm when Tipperary climbed the podium after a few fruitless seasons but i recognising his manager’s contribution, Callanan was also keen to remember his predecessor Eamonn O’Shea.
“Eamonn is a phenomenal man. His stamp is there to be seen amongst a lot of that panel.
“He’s given a lot of years with it, Mick (Ryan) has given a lot of years with it. There’s definitely traits of Eamonn O’Shea’s play in the team that won the All-Ireland this year.
“You’d want to sit down with the man and realise the intelligence of the man, the way he looks at hurling. It’s unbelievable. For myself obviously, it gave me great confidence.
“He saw something in me that maybe others mightn’t have. We worked together on it. Hopefully I’d like to be able to think that he’s after contributing a lot to where I am now.
“Mick is unbelievable. He’s been with us there for the last seven years and it’s no surprise that he got the manager role.
“He’s after coming in and putting his own stamp on it and making it his own. I’m delighted for Mick. He’s after putting a lot into Tipperary hurling.”
The celebrations of Tipperary’s golden hurling day were savoured.
“The night itself was brilliant but it (the highlight) would have to be the homecoming to Thurles, was very special.
“The Tipperary people came out in their thousands. The day obviously meant a lot to our own panel but seeing what it meant to them was very special.
“Winning the All-Ireland is the main thing but after beating Kilkenny, they’ve beaten us enough times (so) we owed them one I think, it was a nice way to top it off.”
After the dust has settled, the focus shift to future challenges. For Callanan there are club duties to attend to. He helped Drom-Inch beat off Loughmore-Castleiney by a point in a glamour Tipperary first round game last weekend, a quarter-final tie against North champions Kildangan beckons on Sunday in Semple Stadium.
And when those local commitments cease, he will be training his eye on the inter-county scene again.
“The perception out there in 2010 was we were going to go on and win a couple of them. The fact that it’s after taking this long, it’s massive satisfaction that we got there. You don’t have that many years playing for Tipperary. You have to make the best of them that you can.
“As a team, we’re an ambitious bunch. We want to go and put a few of them together now. But we know that the start of next year, everyone is going to have belief and we’re all down at the level playing field now. It’s going to be open season again when the league starts.”
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Elverys Intersport teamed up with Tipperary hurler, Seamus Callanan this season as an ambassador for their new #BringTheColour campaign.
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