Craig Morgan: 'I'm a teacher - kids are the most honest out there when it comes to Tipp performances'

Irish Examiner

20 hours ago

Out of the mouth of babes (not Babs), Craig Morgan has heard it all about his and Tipperary's performances in recent times.
Teaching third and fourth class in the Kilruane National School he himself attended, he wasn't able to avoid the post-mortems of disappointing seasons like 2024.
"I'm a primary school teacher and I suppose children are probably the most honest people out there. They'll tell you on a Monday morning how you went on a Sunday. There's no filter there. They'll ask you why didn't you do this or why did you do that. You'd be thinking about it yourself after."
As Mr Morgan, he is acutely aware of the example he has to set. As a representative of the county's hurlers, that responsibility is acuter. 'They look at a lot of the guys as role models and that's where they want to be.
'That grounds me back to where I am. It brings me back to being that age and thinking that I am where I am now and I need to enjoy that as well. There are going to be lows but you need to take them and learn from them.
'It's things you dream of doing so you need to just enjoy it when you're there. The kids are good to remind you of that. It's something they're looking forward to in life and that's their dream as well, so you're living their dream, really."
In his sixth senior season, Sunday is unchartered territory on a couple of counts for Morgan and so many of this Tipperary group. Not only have they not faced Kilkenny in championship action at any level before, Sunday will mark their first appearance in Croke Park too.
Of the team that started against Galway last Saturday week, just four played in the 2019 All-Ireland final win while another pair, Willie Connors and Jake Morris, came off the bench that day against The Cats.
'When you're growing up, you're dreaming of playing in Croke Park so it's exciting,' he says. 'Every game, you have to approach it the same way, that it's do-or-die, so you have to give everything for it.
Morgan attempts to steal the sliotar from Galway's Colm Molloy in the quarter-final. File picture: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho
'We're going to approach this weekend the same way. It's just another game. It doesn't matter where it is. We're just going out with the same mentality as we have for all the previous games to date.'
So much of Morgan's formative years was coloured by the Tipperary-Kilkenny rivalry. Between the ages of 11 and 18, they faced each other in four finals excluding a replay.
'It reminds me of going into school. Those young lads now are going up to experience that, which is huge for them. They are memories, I suppose, they'll never forget either. It's great. It's important to the people of Tipperary. But we're only focused on going up and getting a performance in another game. That's all we're worried about.'
In Croke Park last Saturday, Dillon Quirke's father Dan spoke passionately on the pitch about how the spirit of his late son inspires him to expand The Dillon Quirke Foundation's cardiac screening. By the end of this year, 20,000 children and young adults will have been tested via the charity.
Morgan was alongside his friend Dillon when the young Clonoulty-Rossmore man collapsed in their respective clubs's championship game in Thurles in August 2022. He senses the presence of his county team-mate all the time. 'He's still there in his dressing room. He's still running out the tunnel with us. I know he'll be there next Sunday as well.
'Obviously, he's in our minds every time we take the field. It's a privilege to go out and still wear the jersey. And to still play for him. I know even the last day, I was wearing the No5 jersey with him as well. It's nice to bring it back to earth, I suppose. That he's there with you. He definitely is. He's still a huge part for us on this journey.
'You'd like to imagine him there being as involved as much as we are. He's still part of that (All-Ireland winning) team we had at U21. He was there when the lows were there as well. We don't forget that either. Dillon was there when we weren't winning matches, so he's definitely there with us when we're heading up to Croke Park.'