YOUNG HURLER OF the Year Darragh McCarthy says he won’t be altering his free-taking routine, insisting ‘whatever time it takes, it takes’.
The Tipperary forward’s elaborate process before striking frees has come under a focus with some supporters even booing him during last month’s National League tie against Cork.
The Toomevara attacker, 20, who recently slotted seven points from frees in UL’s Fitzgibbon Cup final win at Croke Park, has blasted 4-110 for the Tipp seniors in his 17 League and Championship games, 3-95 of that coming from placed balls.
As part of his pre-strike process, he shapes up as if to lift the ball before backing away, tossing up a piece of grass to apparently check the wind direction, and then stepping back in to complete the lift-and-strike.
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Cork manager Ben O’Connor, speaking generally about free-taking, has called for a time limit to be introduced to speed up the process.
“It’s always kind of (a situation of), if the ref is happy with it, you take your time,” said McCarthy, who was speaking at the launch of John West Féile 2026.
“You don’t look too much into it. Whatever time it takes, it takes. If I have to quicken it up, I’ll quicken it up. But I’ll take whatever time it takes if I’m allowed.”
McCarthy also drilled five frees for Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland U-20 final win. He said he developed his routine as a child, from watching his older brother, and agreed that if it’s working, and it’s not breaking any rules, then why change?
“Exactly,” nodded the Exercise and Health Fitness Management student. “Listen, you have your off days with the frees too, where you might miss one or two, but you just have to stay sticking to it and stay doing what you’ve practised.”
McCarthy is expected to feature again on Saturday evening against Kilkenny in Tipp’s final Division 1A game. He can expect a favourable home crowd in Thurles but there could yet be more boos when Cork travel to the same venue for a blockbuster Munster SHC showdown on 19 April.
“As a player you don’t really pay heed to much of the booing,” said McCarthy. “You hear small bits of it but that’s all part and parcel of the game. That’s what comes with hurling really.
“I suppose you’re tuned into what you have to do at that given moment. You’re not thinking about any external noise or anything else, like a player shouting or whatever. You’re just tuned into what you practised and tuned into the ball on the ground.”
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'Whatever time it takes, it takes' - Darragh McCarthy won't change free-taking routine
YOUNG HURLER OF the Year Darragh McCarthy says he won’t be altering his free-taking routine, insisting ‘whatever time it takes, it takes’.
The Tipperary forward’s elaborate process before striking frees has come under a focus with some supporters even booing him during last month’s National League tie against Cork.
The Toomevara attacker, 20, who recently slotted seven points from frees in UL’s Fitzgibbon Cup final win at Croke Park, has blasted 4-110 for the Tipp seniors in his 17 League and Championship games, 3-95 of that coming from placed balls.
As part of his pre-strike process, he shapes up as if to lift the ball before backing away, tossing up a piece of grass to apparently check the wind direction, and then stepping back in to complete the lift-and-strike.
Cork manager Ben O’Connor, speaking generally about free-taking, has called for a time limit to be introduced to speed up the process.
“It’s always kind of (a situation of), if the ref is happy with it, you take your time,” said McCarthy, who was speaking at the launch of John West Féile 2026.
“You don’t look too much into it. Whatever time it takes, it takes. If I have to quicken it up, I’ll quicken it up. But I’ll take whatever time it takes if I’m allowed.”
McCarthy also drilled five frees for Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland U-20 final win. He said he developed his routine as a child, from watching his older brother, and agreed that if it’s working, and it’s not breaking any rules, then why change?
“Exactly,” nodded the Exercise and Health Fitness Management student. “Listen, you have your off days with the frees too, where you might miss one or two, but you just have to stay sticking to it and stay doing what you’ve practised.”
McCarthy is expected to feature again on Saturday evening against Kilkenny in Tipp’s final Division 1A game. He can expect a favourable home crowd in Thurles but there could yet be more boos when Cork travel to the same venue for a blockbuster Munster SHC showdown on 19 April.
“As a player you don’t really pay heed to much of the booing,” said McCarthy. “You hear small bits of it but that’s all part and parcel of the game. That’s what comes with hurling really.
“I suppose you’re tuned into what you have to do at that given moment. You’re not thinking about any external noise or anything else, like a player shouting or whatever. You’re just tuned into what you practised and tuned into the ball on the ground.”
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