STEPPING INTO A legend’s shoes holds no fears for Tipperary attacker Seamus Callanan.
The Drom & Inch clubman starts his first championship game since the 2011 All-Ireland final when he lines out at full-forward against Limerick in Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds.
And Callanan has been handed the extra responsibility of hitting frees for Tipp, with 2010 All-Ireland winning captain Eoin Kelly not included in the starting line-up.
And a confident Callanan predicted that he’s up to the task of nailing the crucial placed balls against the Shannonsiders.
Callanan, 24, is a prolific free-taker with his club and also assumed that crucial role for Limerick IT in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup campaign.
He smiled: “Well you couldn’t begrudge being taken off frees to Eoin Kelly really. I don’t mind, I’ll take them. I love the responsibility of taking them. It shows trust in you to take them.”
Callanan has the chance to resurrect his intercounty career when Tipp make the trip to Limerick.
He scored 0-2 after coming off the bench against Kilkenny in the 2010 All-Ireland final and bagged 2-10 in the successful Munster championship campaign of the following summer.
But the 2006 All-Ireland minor medallist fell out of favour with former Tipp boss Declan Ryan thereafter.
He was substituted at half-time against Kilkenny in the 2011 All-Ireland final and his entire 2012 championship season totalled 24 minutes.
Callanan scored a point when he came on against Limerick in last year’s Munster quarter-final and appeared as a late sub against Waterford in the final.
And a player who has bagged a career championship total of 8-35 has managed just 0-2 in his last four summer outings.
And yet he insists: “I don’t feel under any pressure for it to be a big summer for me. As far as I’m concerned, if the team wins, we all win. I’ll do my best and contribute as best I can towards that but I wouldn’t be putting myself under any pressure or under any illusions that this year is a big year for me. Any time you get in here and get a chance to wear the jersey for Tipp, it’s a big year.”
But Callanan acknowledged that last summer was a difficult period for him – as he failed to break into Ryan’s starting line-up.
He said: “Everyone wants to play on the big day. That’s what you train for all your life and go to the gym for and do all the hard work for and all the sacrifices. It was disappointing but you have to move on and hopefully it will make me a better player.”
New Manager
Eamonn O’Shea’s arrival as Tipp manager rekindled Callanan’s passion and enthusiasm. O’Shea was coach in 2010 when Tipp last tasted All-Ireland senior glory and Callanan confirmed: “It’s been really enjoyable under Eamon. He gives you great confidence. And there’s great competition there this year, which brings on everyone.
“You see the likes of Jason Forde there, a young lad coming in and the exhibition he put on against Dublin in the League semi-final. John O’Dwyer, another great game against Galway. All these players coming in…it’s all helping and improving every other player.
“If I’m marking a man and he’s getting the best out of me and I’m getting the best out of him, it’s improving us all. If everyone’s doing that, the whole team is improving. Competition is great – you see that with Kilkenny, who are the benchmark.”
Off the field, Callanan is holding out hope of summer employment, having graduated recently from Limerick IT.
But he revealed that the recession has sank its teeth into his home club – with three of the starting six Drom & Inch forwards gone to America for the summer.
Callanan explained: “I’m just qualified in marketing, management, business from LIT. I qualified there two weeks ago. I’m on the job hunt – hopefully something will pop up. It’s difficult enough – I see it in my own club at home.
“Three of our starting six forwards with the club Drom & Inch are gone to America, to Boston, for the summer. It’s something down the line, people will have to look into. I know everyone wants to hurl and everyone loves hurling but you have to try and make a few pound as well.”
Seamus Callanan lifting the 2011 Tipperary county title for Drom-Inch
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
