Corbett looks set for more Premier action next season

Lar Corbett last night gave strong signals that he will again play for Tipperary in 2013.

The 2010 hurler-of-the-year, who earlier this year shocked the hurling world in announcing his retirement from the game only to return to championship action a few months later, was speaking at the announcement of the launch of his autobiography, ‘Lar Corbett — All In My Head’.

“You’re putting me on the spot now,” he said to MC Paul Collins, when asked for his plans for 2013. “When I came back this year and Tommy Dunne (coach) asked me to do water-carrier against Waterford I decided I’d be the best water-carrier there was — anything I can offer Tipperary, I will.”

Two years ago he was the darling of Tipperary. Hurler-of-the-year, All-Star, but most important of all, hat-trick hero of Tipperary’s All-Ireland senior hurling triumph. Halfway through 2011 and the legend had grown, four goals bagged as Tipperary hammered Waterford in the Munster final. And then, even faster than it had all come, it was gone.

Beaten by arch-rivals Kilkenny in the 2011 All-Ireland final, beaten even more emphatically by the same opposition in this year’s semi-final, many of the same people who had lauded Lar to the high heavens turned on him and even in his own county — even in his own home town of Thurles — he was castigated.

Last night, in the bar that bears his name just off the famous square in Thurles, Lar launched his autobiography ‘Lar Corbett — All In My Head’. The bar was packed with the great and the good, Niall Quinn doing the honours, a host of his Tipperary teammates in attendance along with members of the 2010 management team, many former opponents also. A joyous occasion and yet for the man himself, more than a hint of irony.

It wasn’t just the poor timing — “As things have transpired, a lot of things have happened that might make people wonder why I’d bother,” he says, with a typical wry smile; it’s the reaction of the last few months.

“I never thought anyone would be interested in my story or think that I’d have a story to tell,” he says, “But I sat down with Eoin (McHugh of Transworld, the publishers), he said they wanted me to do the book, and after talking to Damian (Lawlor, co-author) I decided to go ahead with it.

“I wanted to give people an insight into the fact that just because you’re playing hurling for Tipperary, just because you’re scoring goals in Croke Park, doesn’t mean that you’re not going through the same problems every day that everyone else is going through as regards work, life, commitment — of course you are, you’re no different to anyone else.”

It’s an honest book, which is Lar’s way anyway. Shy he is, yet he doesn’t shy from the hard questions — the fickleness of fans, for example. “You get involved in sport, find yourself playing in front of crowds of up to 80,000, and people get the impression that you’re putting yourself on a pedestal; for most GAA players that isn’t the case at all. You happen to have a talent at hurling or football, that’s all, and you find yourself then under pressure to perform, in every game.

“As an individual I might be hurt by some of that stuff — what’s being said, the letters coming in the door, the internet criticism. I’d have my bad days the same as anyone else but you have to take a certain amount of responsibility too.”

To deal with it all, Lar turns to home. “I’m living with Elaine here in Thurles, I go up to the mother every day, bring the dog for a walk. Even after losing to Kilkenny by 18 points this year I did that. The dog was still there, he still wanted to go for a walk; Elaine was still there, the mother was still there. The people who are close to you, the people you love, they’re always there for you no matter what happens on the hurling field.

“But we’re all human, we’re all affected by it and we all deal with it in our own way. I’m getting married on December 15 to Elaine and with the book being launched, with the club still involved in the club championship, with the bar in full swing it’s a busy time, a lot of things going on. Looking forward to Christmas now, and a busier time again!”