It was always class watching Seamus Callanan hurl, what a hurling star!

"Right place, right time, net shook," was a phrase I used one time during a match commentary to describe a Seamie Callanan goal and as a commentator you'd love when Seamie got the ball because magic was going to happen - or the promise of it anyway. 

All-time-great applies to Seamus Callanan because of the figures that surround his name. The first crazy figure that surrounds his name is 40 championship goals - what an incredible haul.

Take your pick of the best, but for me personally the goal against Wexford in 2019 was perfection. A ball bouncing away from him was met first time and whipped in past the Wexford goalkeeper in the All-Ireland semi final with the stadium jammed. 

The skill to get the feet movement right, the pace to adjust to the flight of the ball and the execution to pull first time and get a clean connection is something but to do that in a huge game in Croke Park while under pressure is even better. 

He was able to strike to points too, that 0-13 haul in the 2016 final was proof that devotion and dedication pays off. Seamus won the player of the match award in that game and he struck points for Mick Ryan's team from all angles of the field. 

He was incredible across that era, a three goal haul in the All-Ireland semi final of 2015 against Galway was nearly enough to win the game by himself on a day when other forwards were misfiring. 

Seamus Callanan burst onto the big stage in 2008 and announced his arrival after a big year at under 21 level before nailing down a place on Liam Sheedy's senior hurling panel and becoming one of the young guns to help lift Tipp again by 2009. 

Working under the tutelage of his coach Eamon O'Shea, the Drom-Inch forward blossomed as a clean striker of the ball. He found space on the field and had the natural ability to make the ball talk in a certain way. 

Indeed he had good coaches like Eamon O'Shea along the way to thank for his development. Paudie Butler was a big influence in the local primary school at The Ragg which is right across the road from where Seamus lived. 

Taking the hurley to school and into the local GAA field in the evenings became second nature. He was a natural finisher and played well for Drom underage teams, making his way into the Tipperary teams as he progressed up along through the age grades.

By the time he made the Tipperary senior team great things were expected and Eamon O'Shea worked one-on-one with Seamie to perfect his game and unlock his potential. 

Skillful yet tough Callanan could mix it. He hit a ferocious shoulder to a Kilkenny defender in the league final of 2009, I think it was Brian Hogan who took the dunt, which announced Seamie's arrival on the big stage.

Kilkenny defenders never forgot and singled him out as one to watch closely following that and when the teams met again later that year he got some seriously hard hits which were waved on by the referee in the 2009 All-Ireland final.

That year was disappointment ultimately for Seamie but he had the last laugh by playing a key role in three All-Ireland wins against the Cats over the following decade.

He established himself in the Tipp team in 2009 and the following year played an impact sub role for Tipperary and - when Liam Sheedy introduced him as an ace card in the final that year - he hit hit two points against Kilkenny claiming his first All-Ireland medal. 

Under Mick Ryan in 2016 he won his second All-Ireland medal as Tipperary finally put to bed a lot of hurt caused by Kilkenny in previous years, by winning big in the All-Ireland final with Seamie contributing 0-13 including 0-9 from play.

His finest hour arrived as captain in 2019 when Tipperary again beat Kilkenny and Seamus Callanan walked up the steps of the Hogan Stand to collect the Liam McCarthy cup and, the following evening, bring it back to the hurling field near his house in The Ragg.

That year - 2019 - he hit a goal in EVERY championship game. You can't ask for much more yet he gave much more to Liam Sheedy and Eamon O'Shea in terms of leadership and in terms of effort to the cause. 

Injury has affected him in recent years and if he could have got a clean run of health perhaps he would have had an indian summer like TJ Reid for Kilkenny in recent seasons and just kept going.

I was hoping he would hurl on because there is still no forward in the county that can do what he does or offer what he offers to Tipperary. 

Age didn't really dim his instincts at all, a couple of weeks ago he was still scoring goals and points for fun in the Tipperary hurling championship, firing in a late one for Drom-Inch against JK Brackens.

A top club man, he scored an absolute peach of a goal a few short weeks before that too against Nenagh in Templemore at the Park end of the field and he set up Tommy Nolan for another one the same evening.

Gather it, step away from the marker, swing the caman swiftly and wait for those in the stand to clap hands is Seamie doing what he does.

Everyone there just clapping Seamie. It is the way it has been for years. Right place, right time, net shook. Story of the legend.