NO CURRAMS OF COMFORT
Dan’s a man who knows how to cope with hardship
IF Daniel Currams developed a phobia of playing challenge games, you’d hardly blame him.
Just a week before Kilcormac/ Killoughey played St Thomas’s in the 2013 All-ireland club hurling final, he broke his arm during a run out against Kilkenny under-21s.
Without their ace forward, the Offaly men slipped to a two-point loss, having also suffered two red cards during the game.
“For me personally, the 2013 All-ireland, that’s going to be a tough one to take for the rest of your life if you don’t get back there,” he says.
“It was heartbreaking to miss the biggest game you can play for your club.
“Obviously it was devastating but life goes on and we got back and won the next two (county titles) but it’s always something in the back of your mind, missing that day.”
That’s why, when the near certainty of missing this year’s county final arose, Currams refused to accept it.
Just before the semi-final, he suffered a broken fibula in a challenge game against Craughwell.
“I knew it was very bad, I didn’t know it was broken. I was in Galway and it wouldn’t stop bleeding. That’s why I went to casualty in the first place.
“When I went in then they just x-rayed it and told me it was broke.”
Currams resigned himself to being out of hurling for the rest of the year.
However, when reading Jackie Tyrrell’s autobiography one evening, he was struck by the lengths the ex-kilkenny star went to to recover from injury. There and then, he resolved to get back for the final, where K/K would face St Rynagh’s.
“The first time I would have jogged on it was Thursday morning (before the final). You’d be wary of it. I did a small bit more on the Friday and took it easy Saturday and it just all worked out, thank God.”
Currams was introduced during the first half, just 29 days after breaking his leg. He scored 0-3, the last point late on particularly spectacular and crucial, as Rynagh’s were breathing down their necks.
“On a personal level it was hugely satisfying to see all your hard pay off. Not only that, but being able to make an impact as well.”
The 28-year-old has impressed since on the club’s run to a third Leinster final in six seasons, though K/K are clear underdogs against Allireland champions Cuala in Portlaoise tomorrow.
Cuala’s star man is
Dublin footballer Con
O’callaghan, and Currams has a strong dual background himself having represented
Offaly in both codes in the Championship.
And his uncle Liam won senior All-irelands in both codes, as well as being one of just three men to win All-stars in hurling and football.
“Everywhere you go you’re always asked ‘are you related to Liam Currams?’ so it definitely was a motivating influence.
“I’m glad both.” THE last of this year’s county senior finals will finally be played tomorrow with hurling and football honours up for grabs in Galway and Waterford respectively.
The lateness of these finals is partly a reflection of the counties meeting in the All-ireland hurling final in September, though there are other mitigating factors.
The Galway SHC was held up by a disputed result between Portumna and Turloughmore and, in any event, the county board aren’t under undue pressure to conclude the competition given that their senior hurling representatives don’t have to worry about a provincial I can say I played campaign and progress straight to the All-ireland semi-final stage.
The hold up in Waterford shines a less flattering light on their county board as their football champions have been deprived a shot at the Munster
Championship, where the county had been represented in two of the previous four finals.
Effectively, when it became clear that only one of the football and hurling championships could be completed in time for provincial fare, the latter was prioritised.
Ballygunner emerged to reach the Munster club hurling final, which they lost to Na Piarsaigh. It could be a historic day in Galway.
Liam Mellows – backboned by former county captain David Collins – are bidding for their ninth title in all but their first since 1970. They face Gort, who are in line for their third title in six seasons having lost last year’s decider to St Thomas’s.
Indeed, with it only being Liam Mellows’ first final appearance in 47 years, the gulf in experience goes a long way towards informing Gort’s 1/2 favouritism, with Aidan Harte (inset) looking to round off a dream 2017 by adding a county title to the All-ireland crown won with Galway in September.
It’s a much more familiar pairing in the Waterford senior football final with Stradbally and The Nire facing off.
It’s their first final meeting since 2014 but at least one of them has featured in every decider from 2008 on.
Both clubs have current hurling All-stars in their ranks.
Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh is bidding for a 10th county football medal with Stradbally, though holders The Nire will be without Hurler of the Year nominee Jamie Barron through injury.