NENAGH ÉIRE ÓG stalwart Kevin Tucker could bridge an 18-year-gap when he lines out at midfield in Sunday’s Clean Ireland Recycling Tipperary senior hurling championship final.
Because the 38-year-old club stalwart featured on the one and only Nenagh team to lift the Dan Breen Cup – way back in 1995.
Despite the passing years, Tucker’s passion and scoring touch remain undimmed.
In two semi-finals against north divisional rivals Kildangan, including last Sunday’s replay Tucker contributed 0-11, including nine points from placed balls, as the Blues advanced to a first county final since 2006.
And now that they’re there, Tucker’s advice to the new breed in the club is to get the job done – and then enjoy it.
“Look, it’s a huge day,” he reflected.
“There’s no point in saying go out and enjoy it for the simple reason that you just go out and win it.
You go and win it and then you enjoy it. Fine, there’s going to be nerves, that’s life, it is a final but you have to go out and forget about it.At the end of the day, it’s 65/70 minutes of a match.
“Some of our lads with the minors have won U14/U16/minor, you know? But it’s different, it’s senior now. You just have to go out, get into the frame of mind and hurl.”
Tucker brings an obvious wealth of experience to the table, having won minor and U21 county championships during his underage days with the town outfit.
He’s a 1993 Munster minor medallist with Tipperary and in a landmark 1995 season, Tucker also collected provincial and All-Ireland U21 medals.
“For any hurler, all you want to do is win your county,” he says.
“I’d say anyone that starts hurling from 12/14/16/minor, fine if you have a bit of success there but anyone’s aim is to win your county championship senior.
“That’s what we’re trying to do. I was lucky to be around in 1995, I was a baby considering you had the likes of Conor O’Donovan around, Johnny Heffernan, Noel Coffey, Paul Kennedy, they were hurling for years.
Then you had the few minors like us coming on and maybe it’s replicating in that we have a few minors coming on this year and they’re pushing us, which is great, because if you’re not doing it, you’re gone and there’s someone else in instead of you.
But Tucker is fending them off for now and supplying the ammunition for the scoring threats in the central attacking positions, namely Mikey Heffernan at centre forward, and 34-year-old Ritchie Flannery on the edge of the square.
Tucker smiles: “When you’re midfield, the ball can break and the ball can go over your head. You could be running up and down and no ball coming to you.
“Look, I’m nearly at the latter stage of my hurling career and maybe there’s just no fear there anymore. Just go out and enjoy yourself because you’re always wondering, look, how many more matches have I left?”
