McCarthy back in Croker with unfinished business

HE’S BACK in Croke Park for another All-Ireland hurling semi-final, this time with a different team, but driven by the same enduring passion for the game which has literally dominated his life for close on half a century.

This time last year, Justin McCarthy was confined to coaching at club level in his native Cork after the Waterford players decided they had enough of him midway through the season, but he was never going to be inactive for too long.

Around the time Waterford were licking their wounds after their humiliating experience at the hands of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, McCarthy was ready to make a speedy return to inter-county management at the helm in Limerick after the County Board decided against sticking with Richie Bennis.