Curran: we’re not finished yet
“I think it was a week or two after losing to Waterford in 2004 and we had to get back up for the qualifiers after losing a Munster final — and all of that after losing the 2003 All-Ireland final.
“The pitch wasn’t great the same day, but it was a great occasion, we were thinking of 1987, when Cork lost to Tipp down there in the Munster final. It was a tough one, though we got on top of them towards the end.”
That was then. The two counties have butted heads a couple of times since, and Curran is well aware of Tipperary’s ascent through the rankings during this year’s NHL. “We’ve been watching Tipp, they have fast young lads who play with fierce intensity, so we’ve looked at a few videos over the last few days to focus on them.
“Tipp are on the way up anyway. This game won’t tell that much, they have good young fellas coming through and they’ll make it — it’s just a question of when. For us, we know we’re not finished yet. We know what we’re capable of, a lot of lads are still in their mid-20s, so we won’t panic if we lose this game, and I’m sure Tipperary won’t either if they lose.”
Cork have recent experience of Tipperary, of course. The Premier beat them in the qualifiers last summer in Thurles. “Last year we found it tough, I have to admit,” says Curran. “We didn’t think the qualifiers would be that hard, but it’s the amount of games in a short period of time. That’s what would drain you, especially if you’re there for a few years. It might be good for some of the young fellas, the games would bring them on, but it’s not so great for lads with a lot of miles on the clock. The easiest way to go is the Munster final route..
“Last year against Tipp was a funny game: the first 20 minutes we played some of our best hurling of the last few years, but I don’t know what happened after that. They just came at us and we couldn’t stop them. They seemed very fit, very organised and were putting the ball over from everywhere.
“We were probably caught off guard — Tipp always have very good hurlers, lads who can punish you if you make a mistake, and that’s what happened.”
Cork will rely on experience of the big occasion on Sunday. Curran feels it’s a considerable asset to have.
“Once you know what you can do, once you know you can claw back a lead over five-10 minutes, it’s a big advantage. Other teams starting off might go for goals and make bad decisions. That’s what it’s about — taking the right options at particular times in games, and we’ve learned that. Hopefully that’ll be an advantage.”
The caveat is deliberate. The participants on Sunday know that terms like advantage or favourites turn to ashes in the vapour trail of a Cork-Tipp game. Curran shakes his head when asked to reduce the game to its constituent parts. “It’s massive. You just can’t explain it. As young fellas growing up you were always at the Cork-Tipp games, they were the games rather than the All-Ireland finals. Maybe it’s because you wouldn’t be at an All-Ireland final, but if Tipp were coming down to the Pairc it was a massive occasion, the same if Cork were going to Thurles.
“Obviously we’ve had great games with Waterford in the last four or five years, Cork-Kilkenny is a big one, but Cork and Tipperary is the game.”
Other memories? Twelve months after the Killarney qualifier, Curran was part of a Munster final in the cauldron of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“The 2005 game was the best we played in a few years. There was a turning point when we were four points up — Donal Óg saved a penalty and we worked the ball up to Fraggie, and he scored what was nearly the best point I ever saw. It showed everything we did in training.
“They came at us in the second-half and there was only a goal in it at the end. The heat was brutal. It was hot in 2004 but there was fierce heat in 2005. Both teams tired towards the end. But still, a hot day makes for a good game of hurling down the Pairc. What more do you want?”
What more indeed?
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