McGrath has the answers

RACING people are often heard referring to talking horses. This relates to a bright, young thing, yet to be asked the big question. The animal has been showing all the right signs on the gallops but is yet to be tested when it counts on the track.

Noel McGrath was Tipp’s hurling’s equivalent for so long that it is hard to believe he is still a minor.

He has already provided supremely positive answers to a host of queries, and the Loughmore-Castleiney sen-sation is chasing his third All-Ireland minor hurling medal in 2008, a feat he helped stop another wonderful talent and former award winner, Joe Canning of Galway from achieving two years ago.

His role in the club’s Munster club championship success has brought him to national prominence and given that he was still only 16 for most of that campaign, he naturally finds such attention daunting. And joining an illustrious list of names on the Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star roll of honour is humbling.

“It’s something I wouldn’t have experienced. You see some of the names that have won these awards — Denis Leamy, ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, Roy Keane — they went on to do great things but there’s no pressure on me like that. I’m just enjoying my hurling at the moment. I’ve been lucky to have a great run with the club and the county and I won’t do anything different.”

Hopefully there’ll be more to come and while people are already talking about him getting the attention of U21 and senior management, he refuses to get ahead of himself.

“I’m concentrating on minor now. Our first step is to play Limerick in the first round,” he said.