THE VENUE, ITS history and potential future will take hold of many conversations before this year’s Munster Senior Hurling Final.

But for Pa Cronin Sunday’s game is not part of an end-of-an-era narrative, it’s a chance to bring a personal tale full circle.

Almost a year to the day since he returned to the Cork line-up just in time to face Limerick in the Munster final, Cronin will walk out in Cork a much fitter, happier man than the one who played 70 minutes at the Gaelic Grounds.

“To be honest, it was a rough enough time,” says the Cork captain, “I was playing a club Championship game and I got a shoulder during the game and instantly started coughing up blood.”

Cronin had pneumonia and was consigned to hospital for 10 days. He was given an all-clear within three weeks, but in the thick of a Championship summer, three weeks and illness might as well be three months out.

Cronin didn’t chart exactly how many kilos he dropped below his fighting weight, but recalls noticing parts of his body looking a little bonier than they do now that he’s back at his optimum 95 kilo mark.

“It was a difficult time, because it was Championship season, so you couldn’t be stuck in the gym all the time trying to put [weight] back on.”

Again, though, Cronin’s preparation has been less than ideal. The captain is still searching for his best form and the debate goes on as to whether Jimmy Barry-Murphy would be better off leaving the wing forward to find his feet in a familiar position or move him around. Cronin, at least, seems happy to do the latter for as long as he is required:

“The game of hurling has evolved so much now that you expect to find yourself in any of the six positions. Not just with Cork, but you look at any of the teams and you have to be comfortable moving around all positions.

“It’s not just me, [Pa Horgan] Hoggy’s up to it, Seamus Harnedy is doing it… we’re all moving around. The day of being stuck in a set position is gone. You can see the way tactics have come into it.”

Having already gained some small consolation by beating All-Ireland Champions Clare in this year’s Championship, Cork will be looking to avenge their other final loss lingering from last year. It must help that Limerick are again the opposition at the same stage.

Stats

Cronin credits the Rebels’ backroom team with a forensic level of analysis that braces the team for anything, but in hurling that’s not enough to predict a game scenario in the white-hot heat of the Munster Championship.

“Going up to that game, we were confident going into it,” says Cronin, “but you can’t plan for things that happen on the day. Hoggy’s sending off was a massive turning point. But having said that, we were looking back on the stats on it, and our tackle counts and that weren’t up to scratch even before he was sent off.

“Maybe it was just one of those days that Limerick were better than us. Even if Hoggy had stayed on the pitch I don’t think we would have won.”

He added: “I felt going into that game, things just didn’t work out for us from the start. We had no luck on the day and we’ll need it on Sunday, definitely.”

Meyler steps down as Carlow senior hurling boss

‘It’s falling down, but there’s something special about Páirc Uí Chaoimh’