Larkin prepared for the fight of his life
Their history-making five-in-a-row attempt, which was denied last September by Tipperary, was only his second senior championship loss with the Cats.
So what is it like for a Kilkenny man to be preparing for an All-Ireland final in the unfamiliar role of challengers?
“It had to end some time,” he shrugs, “And last year was the year. We’re looking forward to this weekend again and are delighted to be back in another final.
“We all love challenges in our career and what better than to meet the All-Ireland champions.”
Still, it was good while it lasted. “It was a roller coaster ride. Everyone loves playing sport first of all but you’re in it to win it and you want to win everything. We had a good time for the last four or five years and when you’re winning you never see it ending. You just try to keep your head and try to keep winning. It was never going to last forever and unfortunately last year was the way it ended. It was a huge drop. You’re going into an All-Ireland final having not lost a championship game for five years and you’re wondering if you’re ever going to lose.
“But Tipperary were the better team last year, they deserved their win and no one can take that away from them.”
When they got back to the Marble City it wasn’t to the usual victory celebration, the joyously riotous open-top bus parade from the train station through the narrow black-and-amber-bedecked streets. But it was a warm welcome nevertheless from a grateful and appreciative fan base.
“The feeling was good from Kilkenny fans, all they kept saying was ‘ye owe us nothing’ but that was no consolation to us. All we wanted to do was win the 2010 All-Ireland but unfortunately that didn’t happen. We have a chance now to put that right.”
It was bad enough that Kilkenny lost their championship crown, but early on this season it also looked likely they would lose their title as undisputed kings of Leinster, after they were beaten in the Allianz Hurling League final by Dublin. The defeat was compounded by Larkin’s 26th-minute red card for a pull across Conor McCormack. It was not a happy memory for Eoin, a proud member of the Defence Forces, known always for his discipline on the field.
“I don’t know what was behind that. I was probably frustrated with my form at the time and that might have had something to do with it. There was a small bit [of provocation] but I don’t want to go back to that. I shouldn’t have reacted and did what I did. I probably deserved to get sent off.”
It was his first red card, and his last. “Hopefully, I’d like to think so anyway” — and of course it did have a bearing. “It’s hard enough to win a game with 15 but playing 15 on 14, you don’t really have a great chance.”
It wasn’t just his departure of course. Dublin were already on the way to what for them was a famous victory, 0-10 to 1-1 ahead, and one of the major factors for the loss was the lack of intensity in the Kilkenny attack, their usual ferocious pressure on the opposition defence conspicuous by its absence.
“I think possibly it did [slip], over the last year it had probably dropped off a small bit. All the forwards have to up it in training because it’s going to take a ferocious effort to beat Tipperary — we’ll have to up it a lot.”
They did ‘up it’ to beat Dublin by 11 points in Leinster and that same work rate was evident in the All-Ireland semi-final win over Waterford. The same attitude, and more, will be required in this final to cope with the high-powered Tipp attack. Larkin nods. “Playing a team game you have to help out your teammates if they’re in trouble, just as you’d expect them to help you out.”
So, in contrast to expectations and in stark contrast to the last two finals, this could in fact be a low-scoring game? “Possibly, could happen, but I don’t mind if it finishes two points to one as long as we win — that’ll do me!”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
