Teenage kicks for Darragh McCarthy as nightmare turns into a dream
Sent off for the second time in the championship, after missing two scoreable frees, he watched on from the sidelines as his 14 team-mates came from behind against Kilkenny and tears of relief flowed at the finish.
Retained in the starting line-up by manager Liam Cahill for the final against Cork today, the youngster scored 1-13 of his triumphant Tipperary side's total of 3-27 as they stormed back in the second half to win by 15 points.
"It's all a mind game, really. If you let it get to you, you're going to be curled up in a ball at home in bed." the 19-year-old told RTÉ Sport in the aftermath of winning his first senior medal.
"[Tipperary performance coach] Cathal Sheridan, our man, played a big part in that. I went in for a few chats to try sort the head out. You have to steel the mind and just forget about it.
"[My team-mates] are the best in the world. What they've done for me the last 12 months, and even after the first sending off against Cork, I'd say all 40 men on the panel texted me after it. Jake Morris texted me the following morning, saying 'we'll go for a coffee'. Just to get back around the lads again.
"They're all so good. The last day, again, they looked after me there… I've no words for them.
"Noel McGrath, my favourite hurler of all time. Jason [Forde] and John [McGrath] are unreal to play with. No better man to pass to than Noel (for the last point). He thanked me. No need to thank me. I am so grateful to him."
McCarthy scored four points from play, dispatched a penalty and didn't miss a single place ball, despite constant whistles from the Cork fans who made up about 70% of the 82,300 at Croke Park.
"I know he was getting jeers from the crowd, but he just didn't hear it, he blocked it out," marvelled team-mate Michael Breen.
"Darragh's on the field every day for hours practising frees and that's no exaggeration.
"He's 19. So resilient already in the journey [the Tipperary Under 20s] they have come. They lost an All-Ireland against Offaly last year. Came back, won it this year.
"Even coming up on the bus, he's playing games on his phone and he's having a laugh. There's no seriousness or up-tightness to it.
"And I think the whole camp was that way today coming up. We just kept talking about enjoying the day, enjoying the moment and you could see that fully come out, I think. That was a fun second half to play."
Cahill's decision to keep faith in McCarthy was completely vindicated. And afterwards he spoke of the young forward in the same breath as "legendary players like Jason [Forde] and Eoin Kelly and [Seamus] Callanan.
"They can't be hanging around forever and you'll say 'where are you going to find the next one?' And suddenly up pops McCarthy, 19 years of age - he's now arrived on the scene.
"He's from a serious club up there in Toomevara – them fellas up there would eat you alive. So there was never going to be a case of Darragh's character being questioned or he doubting himself.
"That's the class of this young man and the resilience he has. And he just loves his hurling. When you love hurling like that, you get your rewards. He got his just reward today and I'm really, really happy for him."
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