All-Ireland Hurling Masters final: Tipperary 3-24 Wexford 0-12
Lar Corbett’s oldest daughter, Faye, was just six months old when he called it quits as a Tipperary senior hurler in 2015.
She’s 11 now and has three little sisters – Ada, Quinn and Nell – all of whom got to watch Daddy light it up again for Tipperary in an All-Ireland final.
None of them were born when he struck his famous hat-trick at a packed out Croke Park in 2010, clobbering Kilkenny and their five-in-a-row bid.
“That’s the biggest thing for me, that all our families and our kids are here,” smiled Corbett after helping to secure back-to-back All-Ireland Masters titles, pulling down the shutters on a landmark season for Tipperary hurling in Enniscorthy of all places.
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The former Player of the Year is 44 now, and operates at Junior B level with Thurles Sarsfields, but the magic is still there.
His 48th-minute goal killed off opponents Wexford for good, leaving Tipp 13 points clear at that stage.
Eoin Kelly, another Tipp icon, played too and got on the scoresheet as the side managed by Ger ‘Redser’ O’Grady collected an eighth Masters title.
Maybe it was Kelly that Corbett had in mind when he had a dig afterwards at an unnamed individual.
“What’s very interesting about the Masters is that you wouldn’t get a pass off a fellah in Croke Park in an All-Ireland semi-final,” smiled Corbett. “He’d make out he didn’t see you. But now that fellah is in his 40s, his legs are gone and he’ll pass you the ball – because he has to!”
The over-40s hurling championship was revived last year having not previously been played since 2006. Kelly captained Tipp to Michael Weekes Cup success in 2025 and O’Grady asked another former All-Star, Shane McGrath, if he’d take the armband this year.
McGrath jumped at the opportunity and played a central role in the win next to Corbett at midfield. If either of them had a GPS unit on their backs, they’d have returned favourable numbers.
“The serious guys, Brendan Cummins with the Tipp U-20s this year and Liam Cahill with the seniors, what they achieved was unreal,” said Corbett. “Tipp hurling is in a great place. What we’re doing in comparison is a bit of a laugh but we take it seriously when we’re playing.”
Corbett threaded a few sumptuous hand and stick passes but was also blocked down twice in the opening 10 minutes as Wexford kept it competitive until half-time when the score was 1-11 to 0-8.
But for the second year running, Tipp had too much for the Model County who hoped that after losing the 2025 final on Tipp soil that home advantage at the Rapparees-Starlights club grounds might swing it this time.
It turned out that Tipp were even more superior with the likes of Eoin Brislane, Declan Fanning and Conor O’Brien all lending to the cause this year.
Wexford had former senior stars Diarmuid Lyng and MJ Furlong in their line-up. ‘Gizzy’ grabbed a score in the second quarter of the game, Wexford’s most promising period, but they never looked like claiming just a second title.
O’Grady, a colourful captain back in the day for Tipp, subbed himself on in the 46th minute. He was put through for a well taken goal six minutes later and promptly substituted himself off, joking with Kelly as he departed that his work was done.
McGrath said in his victory speech that it’s a great competition that the players have bought into. As things stand, it doesn’t have official GAA status but Croke Park could do worse than embrace a competition that carries endless PR potential. Who doesn’t want to watch Eoin Kelly, Lar Corbett and Gizzy Lyng together on the same pitch for just one more day?
“It’s just great to be able to hurl at this age in a Tipp jersey,” said O’Grady. “And we’ll tell Liam Cahill that this is how you do back-to-back!”
Tipperary: E Brislane; M Treacy, S Quirke, M Stapleton (0-1); T Collins (0-2), C Gleeson, D Horan; L Corbett (1-1), S McGrath (0-1); P Shortt (0-8, 5f, 1 65), S Maher, J Caesar (0-1); S Stapleton (0-1), D Young (0-4), T Connors (1-2).
Subs used: C Ryan, R O’Brien (0-1), N Curran, E Kelly (0-1), E Shortt (0-1), P Maher, G O’Grady (1-0), N Kenny, T Costello, S Stapleton.
Wexford: D O’Dwyer; D Browne, T Devereux, B Mulligan; J Tonks (0-1), J O’Connor (0-1, 1f), K Cloney; A Lynch, M Mahon (0-1, 1f); MJ Furlong, G Morton (0-2, 1f, 165), D Lyng (0-1); J Lawlor (0-3), N Higgins (0-1), J Breen.
Subs used: C Daly, D Fenlon, L Morrissey, D Doyle (0-1), E Redmond (0-1, 1f), P Kennedy, J Miller, P Murphy.
Referee: P Murphy (Carlow).
