The quiet man in the corner

A DAY with a difference for Shane O’Neill this Sunday, his first championship game as captain of the Cork senior hurling team; facing old rivals and current All-Ireland champions Tipperary in Thurles.

“The first Cork/Tipp game of any significance that I went to was the 2000 game,” says the 25-year-old Bishopstown star. “I was in the terraces with my sister, Cork had won the All-Ireland the previous September so that was a big one. I was pretty nervous but they won, I remember Seanie McGrath got a few points towards the end of the game.

“There’s a huge rivalry and no need to go back into history for that – even the league game this year was very keenly contested, as was the championship last year. I’ve no doubt this game will be no different.”