by Cóilín Duffy

A Senior inter-county player before he ever pulled on the famed Blue and Gold of Tipperary at underage level, Lar Corbett certainly knows how to turn the hurling world on its head - and it's something that the Thurles Sarsfields clubman will be hoping to do to Kilkenny as the 'Drive for five' gains momentum on Noreside.

Granted the Premier County troops are trying to just focus on keeping their own house in order, but you do get the sense that the 'Home of Hurling' feels privileged of being in a position to knock the other 'Home of Hurling' off its pedestal.

"Well it is none of our business really about what Kilkenny do - that's their own thing about the 'five in a row' - our thing is about getting a performance on the day and looking after ourselves," he said.

But if there is one thing that 29-year old Corbett realises, is that the current crop of Cats are definitely something special, and not to be taken for granted.

"We are coming up against the best team of all time. There is no question about that, it's what we are really up against. Not only the team, but Kilkenny have a panel and that is their strength and it has been not only this year or last year - but for the last couple of years.

He added, "They have lads to come on to finish the job week-in, week-out.

"They play with a huge intensity and a huge passion, and the way hurling should be played."

But there is no fear among the Tipperary camp that they won't be the team to halt the historic run, with Corbett feeling that his squad possess many of the same winning traits that the Cats possess.

"There is, we know that there is a good panel of players there and a good crop, but it's very important for us as well just to get a good performance on the day as well."

Senior stars Noel McGrath and Brendan Maher were among those to the fore in the recent Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland Under 21 semi-final demolition of Antrim - and have brought much of the same hunger, drive and enthusiasm to the Senior camp.

Corbett has been impressed with Tipp's underage development in recent years, and with the younger players getting much needed All-Ireland Senior final match-day experience last year - the system is right to avenge that 2-22 to 0-23 loss to the Cats this time around.

"We would be hoping that there will be no nerves, but when you get to Croke Park matches take on a life of their own and there is no doubt about that," he said.

"All that we can do is look forward to the day and really relish the opportunity, because that's what it comes down to.

"Without a doubt the competition for places is huge in Tipperary. We would be under no illusions, especially with the young fellas coming in - they are hitting the ground running and it is great to see that.

"That's what we want, that's the way it is in Tipp. There's not just a team there now, but a panel. The last day was a prime example when John O'Brien didn't start and he came on and gave a 'Man of the Match' performance - it's great to see that and I'm just really delighted."

With the 21's also into an All-Ireland decider there is a great feel-good factor surrounding Tipperary hurling at present.

And it's a buzz which filters through the Senior camp also, even to the more veteran players like Corbett, Eoin Kelly and Brendan Cummins.

"I would definitely say that wins breed confidence and that's where confidence starts, when you are winning.

"I'd definitely say that it rubs off each other with the Senior's and 21's going well. That's one thing that Kilkenny would have there for five, six or seven years.

"They were winning minor, under 21 and senior and it was all rubbing off each other.

"If you saw a Kilkenny Minor team playing and you went out the following day and saw their senior team playing you could see how they would even apply themselves on the day.

"The minors doing it the same way that Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh or whoever was doing it. It definitely helps."

Corbett knows all too well the importance of young blood.

In just his second season as a Tipperary senior hurler Corbett found himself delivering the ultimate, with Senior All-Ireland and Munster successes coming his way back in 2001 as a 20-year old.

Almost a decade on, Tipperary are searching to add to their senior All-Ireland haul, and with the Premier County failing to beat Kilkenny in three meetings since they delivered their 24th All-Ireland Senior crown in 1991 - there's plenty of incentive to beat the Cats this time around.

Corbett says last year's five-point loss to Kilkenny was the most hurtful of those losses.

"Definitely when you lose an All-Ireland final, the occasion doesn't get any bigger than that. The hurt doesn't get any bigger than that."

However, Corbett says the loss to Cork in the opening round of the Munster Championship this year was also a bitter pill to swallow.

"But we went out against Cork this year and that hurt was huge as well, because we were going down with expectations of ourselves - of a team that was on the way up, and we were brought back down to Earth straight away.

"So, we won't be going up (to Croke Park) under any illusions. We will be going up to put in a strong performance on the day."

The hurt of those two losses was channelled into a positive energy according to Corbett, as Tipp reaped dividends via the back-door route this year.

"It is great to get a run and great to get some good performances going," he said.

"When you do lose a game in any sport hurt comes with it. I think people have to learn from their losses and hopefully we have learned from our losses."

Goals win games, and Kilkenny bagged two to dash Tipp's All-Ireland dream last year; but Corbett feels that nothing needs to be done differently in terms of preparation for the decider 12 months on.

"There is nothing else that we could have done last year that would have got us over the line," he said.

"Everything was done right. The preparation and everything was done 100 percent right, and we have done the same this year.

"I wouldn't think there is any more or any less that is required. We are looking forward to the day."

But Corbett concedes that a bit of luck is needed also if Eoin Kelly is going to be the man hoisting the Liam MacCarthy Cup after the game.

"A lot of games come down to luck, and that's what it is going to come down too. We can't really look back on 2009 and that it is going to be the same.

"This game is going to take on a life of its own, the first 10 minutes could produce anything. Kilkenny could get two quick goals - it doesn't make any difference. Now it is a different game and where do you go from here.

"We have to prepare for everything or anything. If the game is tight, well luck will dictate a lot of games."

And speaking of tight games, Corbett says that nothing quite beats the slender one-point win over Galway in terms of luck being on his side this year.

"It is great to get a win in a tight situation. Tipperary were down by two points with five minutes to go. Before this we might have left it there, we could have got a draw and it might of went to extra-time and we might have lost it.

"It was great to see the likes of Pa Bourke, Seamus Callanan and John O'Brien come on that day and change the game around - and that's really what Tipperary have been about.

"That's why it is a panel, and not a team effort. Only for them coming on that day and playing so well I wouldn't be here talking now."

Lar will be hoping that he can do his talking on the pitch on the first Sunday in September, and do to Kilkenny, what Offaly footballers done to Kerry back in 1982 - to stop another five-in-a-row march. Tweet

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