By John Harrington

There’s a good chance that Noel McGrath will line out in the middle of the field for Tipperary against Cork in Sunday’s Munster SHC first round clash at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

That’s where he played for much of a League campaign during which he was one of Tipperary’s most consistent performers.

For most of his career he’s been a half-forward whose performance his primarily been judged on how much he contributed to the score-board.

He’s still a good man to hit a long-range point or two from midfield, but now his game is as much about loading the bullets for others as it is firing off a few rounds at the target himself.

McGrath has always been blessed with great vision, so his new role is one that plays to his strengths.

“If you ask anyone, the more ball they get in a match, the more enjoyable it is and you want to get on as much ball as possible,” said McGrath today at the launch of the Cúl Heroes trading cards 2019 collection.

“If I’m given a job where you have to deliver ball or you have to score, you just do whatever you can.

“You’d be in different positions in the game and whatever position you’re in, you have to do what’s best with the ball at that time whether that’s delivering it in or scoring, you just make your decision and that’s from instinct.

“It all happens so quickly you have to decide there and then.”

McGrath is an especially good fit now at midfield because of the way the game has changed in the past couple of years.

Teams are now trying to hold onto possession and work their way patiently through the middle third of the field with short passes rather than drive it long at every available opportunity.

Tipperary have been slower than some counties to adapt to this shifting paradigm, but McGrath’s vision, touch, quick wrists, and accurate passing in the middle third is now helping them switch from defence to attack in a more considered way.

“The game probably has (changed) as regards trying to keep the ball but at the same time, hurling is such a fast game, the ball can move from one of the field to the other in a split-second but it probably has changed from when I started,” said McGrath.

“You see the game, position-wise it’s probably not always 15 on 15 anymore and that’s just the evolution of the game. Every game around the world changes in different ways at different times and this is just a change in hurling at the moment.

“Teams are going to try and do what they can to be successful and I admire that and whatever style teams want to play, it’s up to everyone else to have their style to try and counteract it as best they can.

“I think it’s great, it gives great talk for people outside as to what’s going on and who’s playing this way or that way. It brings great talk about hurling and if hurling is being talked about like it was last summer, that’s only good for the game.”

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is McGrath’s pure love of hurling.

This is his 11th season playing at the highest level but he’s just as passionate about pulling on the blue and gold jersey now as he was back in 2009.

There’s no disguising his excitement about the prospect of playing Cork in Páirc Ui Chaoimh in the first round of the Munster SHC this Sunday.

Not just because of the history and tradition behind this fixture, but also the knowledge that in a dog-eat-dog Munster Championship this first hurdle is arguably the most important one Tipperary will be faced with.

“Everyone is going to want to win their first game,” said McGrath.

“We're going to be going to Cork and Clare are going to Walsh Park and it's like any other sport, if you get off to a good start it's a massive help.

“It has been on everybody's mind - that first game - since the fixtures were made back before Christmas.

“That's why you train - to play the Championship matches in front of big crowds in big stadiums, balls flying in good weather.

“That's really what the buzz comes off. At the end of the day that's why you want to play hurling. Getting that first game will be massively important.

“We've prepared well and we're looking forward to going down to Cork. They've won the last two Munsters and were very close to being in an All-Ireland Final last year.

“It's a serious test but one that we're looking forward to and I'm sure anyone heading down there on Sunday will be looking forward to it as well.”