TOMMY WALSH believes Tipperary’s Lar Corbett did not set out to get him sent off in the All-Ireland semi-final on August 19th. This is the nine-time All Star’s opinion despite Corbett’s insistence on marking and constantly talking to the Kilkenny wing back.

The ploy lasted 50 minutes, when Eoin Larkin got Kilkenny’s third goal – by which stage Corbett, the 2010 hurler of the year, had registered no score – to put nine points between the sides and effectively decide the result.

“No,” was Walsh’s answer to the suggestion Corbett was trying to provoke him. “I believe in the GAA, especially in the hurling because we all meet each other so often at functions and different trips and that, lads while on the field you are obviously trying to beat your man and that but everyone gets on very well off the field. So I don’t think anyone, always there will be speculation, in hurling ever really tries to get anyone sent off.

“Usually, if a lad gets a belt he gets straight back up . . . in hurling that’s the way it is. That’s the tradition when you go home. That’s what your supporters like; that you go out and do your best and if you lose you lose and if you win, you win.”

Walsh, in an interview ahead of the All-Ireland final against Galway, did talk about how his early yellow card against Tipperary changed his mindset for the remaining 67 minutes.

“When you get a yellow so early in the game you have to concentrate that bit harder, you can’t throw in the hurl loosely. You have to really concentrate on not giving away frees. When you do get a yellow card you have to think about defending and that.”

He eventually spoke about the bizarre situation that saw Corbett follow him, seemingly as a tactical plan, despite Walsh marking Pa Bourke. It also meant Jackie Tyrrell followed Corbett as the four players became isolated from the action.

“My job was just trying to keep my man from scoring and that happened to be Pa (Burke) and try and get on the ball myself and hit balls up to the forwards . . . Tactics is a big part of hurling now. It’s probably taken on from the football. You just have to go out and prepare for whatever happens and you have to be able to think on your feet.”