Shane Stapleton and Shane Brophy of the Nenagh Guardian preview the Tipperary senior hurling championship quarter-finals, and reflect on the bad luck of Thurles Sarsfields’ Billy McCarthy.
Thurles Sarsfields take on Nenagh Eire Og is what is seen by many as the glamour tie among this weekend’s Tipperary SHC quarter-finals.
It’s a clash of two sides who know each other very well, but the mood inside the Sars camp has been soured by a cruel injury to attacker Billy McCarthy.
The combative half-forward missed a couple of seasons of action due to a horror cruciate knee injury suffered in 2018, which came at the back of a fine maiden season with Tipp, and he only recently made his comeback for the club.
Shane Brophy of the Nenagh Guardian spoke of McCarthy’s form during the Kilruane MacDonaghs and Loughmore-Castleiney games, before the forward again suffered a dreaded cruciate injury against Moycarkey-Borris.
With Denis Maher also a doubt due to a shoulder complaint, the balance in the Sars forward-line may be an issue heading into their clash with Nenagh.
As for McCarthy, the hope is that he will make a recovery and return once more to action.
When speaking in January 2019 of his terrible injury from the previous summer, his determination was clear.
“The most I struggled with it was probably when was leg was numb,” McCarthy explained.
“My bathroom is probably five yards away from my bed and it was taking me nearly 15 minutes to get there.
“You have to get up out of bed, your leg is dead straight and you can’t bend it, you can’t feel your leg, you have to get your crutches and then walk to the bathroom.
“It was torture, I remember nearly having to stop for a breather halfway through — it drains you. You just have to remember things will get better, and if you follow the procedure it will improve.
“I’m fully sure I’ll get back hurling,” McCarthy said bullishly. All GAA supporters would hope he can do so once more.
County and Munster champions Borris-Ileigh take on Drom-Inch, Kiladangan do battle with Toomevara, while Loughmore-Castleiney are on a collision course with Clonoulty-Rossmore.
Video time stamps (approx)
00:00 Intro and Clonoulty-Rossmore v Loughmore-Castleiney
07:00 Kiladangan v Toomevara
14:00 Billy McCarthy injury news and Thurles Sarsfields v Nenagh Eire Og
23:00 Borris-Ileigh v Drom-Inch
30:00 Tipperary club championship power rankings
