ACE ANSWERS PREMIER CALL; Seamus inspired by minor agony.

Byline: PAT NOLAN 

HURLING LATEST THE BORD GAIS ENERGY UNDER-21 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP LAUNCH FROM CROKE PARK 

TIPPERARY'S Seamus Callanan says that watching his teammates go all the way to the All-Ireland minor title three years ago steeled his determination to break into the senior side.

Callanan was not deemed to be worthy of a place on the Tipp minor team that won the minor crown in 2006 when they saw off Joe Canning and three in a row chasing Galway.

Current senior boss Liam Sheedy (right) was in charge then and has since given the player his shot at senior level. Callanan repaid him with sterling performances at centre-forward last year.

"It's hard to be a sub and see a team win an All-Ireland," he said. "You just want to be there so it was extra motivation to go on and prove people wrong.

"Maybe I thought I should have been playing so it's extra motivation to go on and be selfish and get there and be the best and nail down your position. It probably helped me in a way to get on the senior panel.

"I suppose I had a good club Championship two years and that led to me being called to the Tipp senior panel.

"It's daunting enough going into the dressing room with these big names that you only see on the TV and you never think that you should be in the same place as them.

"But the lads are great for a young lad coming in. There are great leaders around the dressing room and it rubs off on everyone. There is a great unity."

Tipperary appear to be back on track for the Championship after their rich contribution to an outstanding NHL final which was narrowly lost to Kilkenny, though Callanan says he has had more than enough pats on the back for that particular display.

"You have to take positives but there are negatives as well. It goes to show that if you get in their faces that they can be beaten. Moral victories are no good to us.

"We're all after the one goal and we all go training four nights a week for the one thing and that's to be the best team in Ireland and we're not going to stop until we reach that." But Cork represent a major obstacle first up in Thurles next Sunday.

"They'll be coming up with a point to prove after their strike.

"They haven't been in the papers for the last few months and have been completely out of the limelight. They are in the perfect position.

"Everyone in Ireland knows that they can beat anyone on their day."

Callanan was speaking at the launch of the 2009 Bord Gais Energy GAA Hurling Under-21 All-Ireland Championship at Croke Park yesterday and was critical of the fact that he will be in action three days after next Sunday's game when they play Cork once again in the opening round.

"When under-21 is knockout it is something that could be looked at. I don't think there is any harm in having the under-21 10 days after it (the senior game).

"We have club Championship the following Sunday as well so that is three matches in a week and it is hard to do it."