After missing the entire championship last year due to a workplace accident, Clare fans welcomed back Aidan McCarthy to Munster action with open arms last Sunday.
The 22-year-old couldn't prevent the Banner from falling to a home defeat to Tipperary, but the Inagh-Kilnamona man carried the fight to the goal-hungry Premier County as much as anyone, finishing with a tally of 1-13.
A free-taker can expect to have decent numbers, but only two-goal Jake Morris scored more from play (1-04) and on another day he would have added a second green flag.
The half-forward line seems to be his environment these days, but manager Brian Lohan has the luxury in knowing that he could put just about any jersey on his back.
"He would comfortably line out in all 15 positions. No bother to him," says former Clare captain and manager Anthony Daly.
Right from his underage days, McCarthy has stood out among his peers.
A reputation built as a fearless and composed number 6 saw him feature in all Clare's senior championship outings in 2020 in the half-back line, plundering a second-half goal in the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Waterford.
After an impressive breakthrough campaign – he made his debut in 2019 in Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s last year in charge – he moved onto a new level 12 months later, as his industrious displays in the forward division earned him a 2021 Young Player of the Year nomination, an accolade that ultimately went to Kilkenny's Eoin Cody.
Lohan’s ambitions to build on 2021 – Cork ended their interest in both Munster and then the subsequent qualifiers – were scuppered by a lengthy long-term injury list, chief among them McCarthy after breaking a bone between his leg and ankle.
It only added to the sense of 'what might have been’ for 2022 as Clare put Limerick to the pin of their collar in a gripping Munster decider before running out of steam against Kilkenny two weeks later.
Now that he's back, Lohan is tasked with plotting the best way to exploit the skillset of the versatile operator.
Down the line, two-time All-Ireland winning Clare captain Daly can envisage McCarthy manning the centre of the defence when John Conlon, who plays the role in a different way, either moves on or potentially returns to the forwards.
"He’d make a savage centre-half back in time," Daly says, "but for long enough in Clare we have said we have enough backs. We recognise his attacking talent, so we’ll leave him above in the forwards."
Moving back is for another day. For now, it's about adding to Clare's offensive threat.
With such precise striking of the ball, coupled with superb aerial ability, two-time All-Star half-back Brendan Bugler says McCarthy would shine in any forward position.
"I think he’s most effective in the half-forward line, a role where he is going back and across the line, but he has a good paw if you ever need to put him into the full-forward line."
That ability to pluck the ball out of the sky was never more evident than Inagh-Kilnamona’s first ever county final appearance in 2021. Carrying a hamstring injury, McCarthy was stationed on the edge of the square and had Paul Flanagan for company when he fetched a sideline ball before burying the ball into the back of the net.
He's a seriously talented guy. What Colm Collins wouldn’t give to have him available for the footballers
After leading for most of the match, they eventually ran out of steam, Ballyea pipping them at the death. Hampered as he was, Inagh's main man still contributed 1-07.
It was a double-disappointment for McCarthy on the county final front as a week earlier Kilmurry-Ibrickane lost out in the football decider, where he lined out at midfield.
"He’s a seriously talented guy. What Colm Collins wouldn’t give to have him available for the footballers," Daly says.
If raw talent puts you in a good position to reach your potential, hard work is required to get you over the line. The McCarthy household it would seem is a breeding ground for both.
Only ankle surgery has kept older brother Jason from inter-county involvement this year, while his mother Patsy is a former county camogie player.
Her focus and determination was clear for all to see when the McCarthys competed on Ireland’s Fittest Family in 2016, getting as far as the final.
"There is a drive there that wouldn’t be in a lot of households," says Daly. "They’d pride themselves on being the very best. I think he takes it from home."
And you thought YOUR mother was tough?? Behold.... Patsy McCarthy! Ireland's Fittest Family, the FINAL airs this Sunday at 6.30pm! pic.twitter.com/Q9Nb9XgwYO
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) December 17, 2016
Another consequence of McCarthy’s return to action is that it releases Tony Kelly from free-taking duties.
One of the most gifted players of his generation, the Ballyea man doesn’t even take frees for his club, with that honour falling to Niall Deasy.
While Kelly’s conversion rate is impressive, there was always the sense that McCarthy, who has been a free-taker from his underage days right through, would be back on placed balls. Sunday wasn't a flawless performance on the frees, but there is a comfort in his pedigree.
"He’s always been known as a free-taker," Daly adds.
Another string to his bow is being a ‘lefty’. For most sides, they are very much in the minority, but just like TJ Reid, Conor Whelan, Jake Morris and Cian Lynch, McCarthy poses a different threat.
Patrick Crotty and Jack O’Neill are showing promise at under-20 level, but as of now, McCarthy is the only left-hander in the current forward line.
With Aidan, he has the option of going either way, and that's a nightmare for fellas to try and close down
"He’s a lefty, and a natural left, left hand on top," Daly says. "It’s so difficult to mark because you are not used to coming up against it.
"With an unconventional catcher, grip-wise, when he does catch it, you could be like, ‘where is he gone?’
"With a lad you know is right-handed on top, he catches it with his left and will nearly always go out to his right, with the striking hand.
"With Aidan, he has the option of going either way, and that’s a nightmare for fellas to try and close down."
What steps must a defender take when facing a left-hander?
"You have to be conscious of what side you are going to go from. It asks different questions of a defender, especially under a high ball," explains Bugler.
"You need to get on to the opposite side, their catching side."
If Clare are to keep alive ambitions of emerging from Munster, a competitive performance is the bare minimum on Saturday evening.
Defeat won’t spell the end for them, with Limerick well positioned to take more wins in the group stage, but momentum going into round three and four clashes with Waterford (in Thurles) and Cork (home) is essential.
McCarthy will be central to their progress this year. A swashbuckling figure with a rangy style, his use of a short hurley is another point of difference.
"I think he uses a 30, or 31 size hurley. It looks almost like a badminton racket in his hand. Lads often drop a size, but not to that extent," says Daly.
Two months ago a late Clare flourish put a better gloss on the scoreline in a game that was done and dusted in the opening 35 minutes. McCarthy was the game's top scorer on the night and one of only two starting forwards to point from play.
A similar display would go a long way to giving Lohan's side a fighter's chance against the four-in-a-row seeking champions.
Watch Kilkenny v Galway and Cork v Waterford in the Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport and listen to live commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
