Positive-thinking Tom putting Knockaderry on the hurling map

To achieve something in your home place that has never been done before is something very special.

This year, feisty Limerick corner-back Tom Condon has done that, and on the double. Condon plays his club hurling with Knockaderry, a rural parish between Ballingarry and Newcastlewest in west Limerick.

It’s an area steeped in GAA tradition, has produced hurlers and footballers since the foundation of the Association. None, however, had ever won anything of note on the national stage, that is until Tom did so this year.

First, a Martin Donnelly interprovincial title with Munster, then a Munster senior hurling championship with Limerick.

“I can’t remember the last player from the club to play for Limerick but as far as I know it was the first Munster medal anyway to come back to Knockaderry, and the first Railway Cup as well. So they’re fierce proud back there.”

Why not? To produce a county player at any grade is a fine achievement for any club; to produce a senior hurler of the calibre of Tom Condon from a small rural club such as Knockaderry – they have every reason to feel proud. In clubs like Na Piarsaigh and Kilmallock in Limerick it’s easy to get yourself noticed, to catch the eye of the some canny selector in one of the various underage teams. From a smaller club, however, you really do have to stand out and from a very early age that was Tom Condon, a stand-out.

“Ah, I don’t know!” he laughs. “It started at U15 and U16, and then I made the Limerick minor team in 2005. There were three of us from the same club — myself, Don Hanley and Diarmuid O’Sullivan. After that I made the intermediate team in 2006 and 2007, and had a good year in 2008 with the intermediates — we won the Munster and we got to the All-Ireland final. The following year I was brought into the seniors and kicked on from there. I always had a bit of speed so I think that kind of worked to my advantage. And I was always a physical player (laughs again) — what people liked about me was I always kind of hurled on the edge.”

And the reaction at home? “It’s great, it doesn’t happen too often back in these small clubs. We’d be intermediate and as I say, they’re so proud. You’re getting so many well-wishers and smiling and crying at times; when we’re winning, it means to much to them. Hurling is a big part of life back there.”

Of course growing up when and where he did, Tom didn’t have to look too far for inspiration. Over the road to Lee’s Cross, head down the New Line Road for Bruree and there he was, there he still is.

“It probably would have been Stephen McDonagh,” and he laughs again, “A tough player and I always used to love going to the games, watching him play. Hurled off the cuff, such a tough marker as well.”

Stephen McDonagh, hard-as-nails corner-back on the Limerick team of the 90s/early 00s but also – like Tom – a consummate hurling centre-back with his club. He could have been cloned from Stephen, could Tom, and on Sunday he will be trying to emulate what Stephen did in 1994 and 1996 — reach an All-Ireland final.

He’s been here before, albeit as a sub, back in 2009 when Limerick were destroyed by Tipperary, 6-19 to 2-7. “That was a dark day for Limerick. The preparation wasn’t right and ye know well in 2010 what happened (player strike). It’s been a long road back; people didn’t believe in us but we knew ourselves — player-wise — what we had. We’re just delighted to get back up there now and be able to show people what we’re capable of. When you go into a game you have to be confident, no matter who you’re coming up against.

“I feel we can beat them; on any given day you can beat any team. It’s just having the right mentality and thinking positive.”