JUST WHEN YOU thought that this amazing summer of hurling was about to come to a glorious conclusion, it makes room for another gripping final act.
You wait 54 years for an All-Ireland hurling final draw and then two come along in consecutive years.
Great news for us neutrals, of course, but if you weren’t insanely jealous of the fans within Croke Park yesterday, you would have to feel some sympathy for them.
Nobody left happy, Clare fans will bemoan a selection of questionable calls that went Cork’s way. Rebel fans booed the final whistle as it came 30 seconds after the allotted (‘minimum of’) two minutes injury time.
Good thing that tickets for the second helping of heart-stopping hurling will cost significantly less.
One man who should be smiling
YouTube credit: Caomhán O’Bolghuídhír
Davy Fitzgerald let a maniacal giggle escape when he considered the list of players he’d have rathered given the last scoring chance of an All-Ireland final to. Domhnall O’Donovan was well down the list.
Here’s a tweet from the corner-back in early July, channeling Darryl Strawberry as he laments another ’0-0, none from play’.
No shortage of ‘bottle’ in the O’Donovan house
Clutch plays apparently run in the family; Domhnall’s twin brother Cormac hit the winning point for Clare in the 2009 All-Ireland under 21 final in Croke Park.
See it around the five minute mark here.
YouTube credit: rph1981
What did you think of it, Jimmy?
It’s not an All-Ireland final without a bit of flying ash
We were sure Cork would win it after finally pulling level
For all Clare’s brilliance, they only carried a two-point lead into half time.
They soon had Cork back on the rack, but when Pa Cronin struck this terrific goal, they looked to have timed the run to perfection.
YouTube credit: Caomhán O’Bolghuídhír
Conor Lehane’s goal was a bit special too
After a relatively quiet Championship, the young man showed an important flash of inspiration on the big stage.
YouTube credit: Caomhán O’Bolghuídhír
Face in the crowd
He probably can’t see you from under that hat, but Roy Keane and JBM weren’t the only medal-laden Corkmen at GAA HQ on Sunday.
World 50km walking champion Rob Heffernan was given a pre-match standing ovation - and a race by Hector.
Superstition might just keep him sidelined on 28 September.
©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Davy’s gripes
“We had it won a few times and they kept being brought back into it,” the Clare boss told RTE post-match.
Not exactly keeping his cards close to his chest, Fitzgerald will no doubt point to a number of instances that could/should have gone the Banner’s way.
None of them, however, more than this one.
Shane O’Neill red?
That’d be the Shaolin influence that Des Bishop was talking about.
YouTube credit: YouTube: rte
The Sunday Game ask the BIG post-match questions
Pat Kelly made his own luck
This unreal save from the Inagh-Kilnamona man to set us up for a grandstand finish.
2013, the year of the young Déise
Croke Park has been cruel to Waterford hurlers over the years. On Sunday, they finally quenched a 65-year thirst for an All-Ireland minor hurling title. Read how they did it here, or have a look at more images of their unconfined joy here.
Sunday is how a tight game should finish — nobody should have to lose like this
Fermanagh ladies lost their intermediate football championship semi-final to Tipperary in the most cruel fashion possible.
Leading 2-8 to 1-8 with a minute to play, this happened:
YouTube Credit: buddea
Just the nine points from Mulcahy help Cork see off Kerry
Cork defeated Kerry 2-9 to 0-11 in Saturday’s Ladies SFC semi-final and they have Valerie Mulcahy to thank for 2-3 of that tally.
Cork now take their place in an eighth final in nine years against Monaghan who breezed past Galway last weekend.
They will face-off on Sunday 29 September, a date which initially caused some confusion for people trying to work out a replay date for the hurling.
YouTube credit: LadiesFootballTV
What now?
Now? We’ll all get back to watching fans of Clare and Cork painting and decorating increasingly wacky objects in their county colours and composing ever more enchanting songs to convince us that they will be winning the All-Ireland final at the second time of asking.
The Liam MacCarthy Cup, meanwhile, will be put back in its box until he’s called for a Saturday final in 19 days time.
Sleep tight, Liam.
©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Cork and Clare to do it all over again after thrilling All-Ireland draw
Here’s what it means to win a first All-Ireland minor hurling title in 65 years
