McGrath: physical edge will bring best out of both teams

THERE’S no doubt that, played at its best, hurling is truly an art.

The grace of Henry Shefflin as he takes to the air; or to watch the O’Connor twins as they two-step their way through an opposition defence, is really beautiful, part of what brings us back, year after year to see the magic.

Even as we count down to the first match in the Munster championship, however – Sunday’s meeting in Thurles of Tipperary and Cork – we must note also that hurling isn’t just about fancy wrist work, about balletic reaching for the ball; hurling is also about courage, about character, about hardship.