Tipperary star John McGrath is champing at the bit for start of the county championships

John McGrath couldn’t wait to return to club action in hurling and Gaelic football after missing all of last season with an Achilles tendon injury.

“It was a long year. We started the mid (hurling) championship recently and it was a long time since I had put on the Loughmore/Castleiney jersey before that,” he says.

“It’s brilliant to be back. It was very difficult watching the boys last year, all you’d want to do is to be out there helping out. Hopefully I’ll be able to contribute well with the rest of the lads for the year”.

The Tipperary player has also spoken about the lonely and difficult road to recovery from such a long-term injury.

“It can be a very lonely place. While the boys were training and still in the championship it helped a little bit. I was over in the field, you would be running or doing your bits in the gym.

“It was only when they finished up and there’s nobody around, you’re really on your own then at that stage.

“A lot of people go through it at different stages. It’s difficult but there are plenty of people there to help you as well. I had great support with everyone in the club, and my family and my girlfriend, you would need everyone, in fairness. They were all really good, which made a huge difference”.

The prospect of a long season in hurling and football is always a possibility when you play with Loughmore/Castleiney, a club that is regularly in the shake-up for honours in both codes.

However, the former hurling All-Star remains undaunted by the prospect of a long, draining season.

“You get used to it after a while and you don’t think any different. There are plenty of other teams doing it as well, a few playing senior in both, or playing at different levels. A lot of teams are playing hurling and football at some level or another.

“It’s nice at times to freshen up and you can change from one to another, it’s nice to be playing games every week. People make a lot of it at times but it’s what we’ve been used to since we were young, and you don’t think much of it.

“The aim is to go to the ends of both competitions, that’s what we’re striving for every year and looking forward to.

“I suppose I can’t speak for the rest of the lads but especially for myself, after missing a full year with the club last year, I want to play as many matches as I can and to win as many, and be as successful as we can.

“It’s something huge to look forward to, and it’s nice to be playing a game every week. Instead you could be waiting between games, and there’s always something to look forward to and a different challenge coming around the corner”.

Loughmore begin their FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Championship campaign against Templederry in Borrisoleigh at 6.45pm this Saturday evening, with their remaining group games against Holycross/Ballycahill and Upperchurch/Drombane being played in the following weeks.

They begin their football championship campaign against Moycarkey/Borris in Gortnahoe at 7.30pm on Friday, August 4.

“The first game is hugely important, and if you can get that good start. If you’re going into your second game chasing a win you’re really putting yourself under pressure.

“It’s like in anything, a good start will make a huge difference.

“There will be plenty of surprises through the championship as well.

“You can’t be ‘off’ any day, really. If you are there are teams there that will punish you, so we’re going into our hurling championship group with three tough games, so it will be a battle to get out of it.

“You’re going to have to be playing close to your best every week to progress in the championship, and that’s the way it should be, especially in Tipperary. There are a lot of quality teams and we have had different winners for the last five, six years, so that just goes to show there are a lot of teams in with a chance.

“It will be over a short couple of weeks, so it will be whoever can hit form at the right times will be getting to the final stages of the year”.