Noel McGrath has been soldiering with Tipperary since coming on to the minor panel when he was just 15 years old.
Now 28, he's clocked up a few miles and made a few memories too.
"It probably all started in 2006, winning the All-Ireland minor championship," he said ahead of Sunday's arm wrestle with Kilkenny for the right to lift Liam MacCarthy.
"I think Seamie Callanan and Brendan Maher might have been there the year before too.
"There's been a lot going on all of those years and it's good to have that sort of bond with lads. And to be still going together is good.
"You become friends... you become great friends. Both on and off the field. It's just nice to have that bond and it definitely helps when you play together on the field."
That camaraderie has been tested this summer, not least when the Premier found themselves five points and a man down with 20 minutes to go in their All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford.
McGrath's brother John had seen red. It proved a defining moment.
"It definitely helps, the fact that you have that bond there with lads because you'll help each other out no matter what," McGrath reflected.
"You'd probably do that anyway, but I think that helps it a bit extra as well.
"I think in any sport the more friendly you are off the field it always helps on the field as well. I'd always believe in my team-mates because you see what they go through in training and on the pitch.
"It was very satisfying to win that game, to be honest. We have been in semi-finals over the last number of years where we were on the opposite side of that, so it's nice to be on the right side of it and to come out on top as well it is a good feeling.
"At the same time you have to come back down very quick because you actually haven't won anything. It's a good feeling but it's a good reality check too to bring yourself back to normality.
"We had to dig deep and we did dig in and thankfully we came out on the right side."
Tipp were a major casualty of the unbelievably competitive provincial round-robin series in Munster last year. Having started the championship as second favourites behind Galway for the All-Ireland crown, they failed to win a game (two draws, two defeats) in their group and suffered a painful early exit.
"It was strange," McGrath admitted. "You want to be a part of it and it's hard looking on. But that's part and parcel of it. We had four opportunities last summer to win and we didn't.
"The same as we had four opportunities this year in the Munster championship and luckily we did.
"I think the structure of the championship is fair to everyone and gives everyone a good chance. If you don't come out of your group then I don't think we could have had any complaints in 2018 and luckily we turned it around this year.
"I don't think you're ever as good as people say and you're probably never as bad as people say either. You have to prepare yourself and do what's best for your team, for the whole group, and once you know that you're doing the best you can then I think you can't do anything more."
Now, all eyes are on the Cats. McGrath has scored 1-18 in the championship, flourishing after being switched to midfield. He's braced for an almighty battle against a county that are hard-wired to deliver on the biggest stage.
"I'm happy to get a jersey anywhere, but out around midfield is where I played a lot when I was younger. So it's nice to be able to get back out there.
"You have to get everything right against Kilkenny. They have everything you can ask for. They have skill, they have power, they have pace, they have work-rate, they have it all. They are a serious, serious team.
"It's just something that we're going to have to bring and something we're going to have to work on. There's quality on both sides.
"Since I was a kid hurling for Tipperary is all I've ever wanted to do. To be part of these occasions and looking forward to them is great. The more chances I get to go out in Croke Park with a Tipp jersey on my back, I'll take them every day I can.
"All-Ireland final day, there's no other day like it."
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