McCarthy sees pressure as a privilege

By Shane Brophy

It’s fair to say Darragh McCarthy is the poster boy for Tipperary hurling at the moment.

The senior star played his part, a quieter that expected role, scoring four points from frees and creating a goal for Conor Martin in the under 20’s All-Ireland success.

He largely missed most of the post-match celebrations with his teammates, as for the guts of a hour, he signed autographs and stood in for photos with family, friends and supporters, all keen to salute the Toomevara clubman.

“It’s so sweet,” he said when he finally got to the dressing room.

“We carried the pain for the last twelve months, so it was a privilege to get over the line.

“It wasn’t just a team effort, it was an effort from 1-41, so it is a collective effort. It’s lads giving everything in training that might not be near the team, but they are pushing the lads in the starting team.”

There was a lot of pressure on Tipperary to win this final, not just because they were defeated in the final the previous year, but also having three players with senior championship experience this year, including McCarthy.

“The pressure is a privilege when it comes to it,” he said.

“To put on this jersey is a massive honour, you are representing your club, family, coaches, we look at is as pressure being a privilege.

“We’ll enjoy the next few days, that’s for sure. We’ll have time to reflect, myself, Sam and Oisin and the boys to sit back and enjoy this win as it means so much to get over the line today.

“What it does for so many people, for the county, it lifts the whole county and is great preparation for the senior and will lift the senior panel.

“When you hear the Tipp Tipp Tipp, you know you are in a good place.”