Séamus Callanan

Séamus Callanan (born 15 September 1988) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a centre-forward for the Tipperary senior team.^[1]

Callanan made his first appearance for the team during the 2008 National League and immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen. Since then he has won one All-Ireland winners' medals, four Munster winners' medals and one National Hurling League winners' medal. He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.

At club level Callanan is a one-time county club championship medalist with Drom-Inch.

Playing career

Club

Callanan plays his club hurling with Drom-Inch and has enjoyed some success.

In 2011 Callanan was captain of the club senior team as Drom-Inch reached the championship decider. Clonoulty-Rossmore provided th opposition on that occasion, however, Drom-Inch claimed their first county club championship following a 1-19 to 2-14 victory.^[2]

Minor and under-21

Callanan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team. He enjoyed much success in this grade as Tipperary reached the All-Ireland decider via the "back-door" in 2006. Three-in-a-row hopefuls Galway provided the opposition, however, Tipp powered to 2–18 to 2–7 victory.^[3] It was Callanan's sole All-Ireland medal in that grade.

Callanan subsequently joined the Tipperary under-21 team. He won a Munster medal in this grade in 2008 following a controversial one-point defeat of Clare. Tipp later reached the All-Ireland, however, Callanan's side were defeated by Kilkenny.^[4]

Senior

Callanan made his senior competitive debut for Tipperary in a National League game against Offaly in 2008. It was a successful campaign as Tipp remained undefeated in the National League before meeting Galway in the final. In an exciting game Tipp emerged victorious by 3-18 to 3-16 and Callanan collected his first National League winners' medal.^[5] Tipperary later reached the Munster final where they defeated a resurgent Clare team by 2-21 to 0-19.^[6] It was Callanan's first Munster winners' medal. Tipperary were subsequently defeated in a tense All-Ireland semi-final by Waterford on a scoreline of 1-20 to 1-18.^[7]

Callanan won his second Munster medal in 2009 as Tipp defeated Waterford by 4-14 to 2-16.^[8] After a six-week lay-off and a facile semi-final win over Limerick, Tipp qualified for an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. For much of the match it looked as if Tipp would pull off a shock and deny 'the Cats' a record-equaling four-in-a-row. Two quick goals in the space of a minute, one from a penalty by Henry Shefflin, sealed a 2-22 to 0-23 victory and defeat for Tipperary.^[9]

After surrendering their Munster title to Cork at the first hurdle in 2010, Tipperary regrouped in the qualifiers and reached a second successive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny, a team chasing an unprecedented fifth successive championship, provided the opposition and a great game was expected. Tipperary got off to a great start which was bolstered by an early Lar Corbett goal. He subsequently completed a hat-trick of goals and Tipperary had a fourth by Noel McGrath to deny Kilkenny's drive-for-five and secure a remarkable and convincing 4-17 to 1-18 victory.^[10] It was Callanan's first All-Ireland medal.

Tipperary returned as provincial kingpins once again in 2011. A 7-19 to 0-19 trouncing of Waterford in the southern decider gave Callanan a third Munster medal.^[11] For the third successive year, Tipperary faced off against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, on this occasion Kilkenny were slight underdogs going up against the new champions. Kilkenny started quickly and never surrendered the lead in the 2-17 to 1-16 victory.^[12]

In spite of an indifferent National League campaign, Tipperary were regarded as potential All-Ireland champions once again. A 2-17 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford in the provincial decider gave Callanan a fourth Munster medal in five seasons.^[13] Tipperary later faced a humiliating 4-24 to 1-15 defeat by eventual champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.^[14]

Inter-provincial

Callanan has also lined out with Munster in the Inter-provincial Championship.

Honours

Team

Drom-Inch

• Tipperary Senior Club Hurling Championship (1): 2011

Tipperary

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (1): 2010
• Munster Senior Hurling Championship (4): 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
• National Hurling League (1): 2008
• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2008
• All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship (1): 2006

References