THIS WONDERFUL hurling season continues to throw up moments of genius, and we again witnessed something special in Tom Semple’s field on Sunday.
imerick and Clare produced a game of honesty, drama and pure war that had me entranced on my sofa from start to finish. I can only imagine what it was like to have attended a game with such intensity and atmosphere, and it would take a brave man to bet against a third instalment of this incredible rivalry before year’s end.
For me there will not be a moment this year to rival the genius that is Tony Kelly standing beside the sliothar in a hurling amphitheatre and cutting it over to level the match.
Up to this Damien Reck’s block and pick to keep us alive had been the highlight of 2022, but for now young Damien’s act of defiance will have to be content with second place.
Well done to John Keenan on a wonderful refereeing performance. He kept order in a way that was in tune with the honesty of the players.
Maintaining control while issuing only two yellow cards is a testament to John’s ability and he can be assured that his great friend and Kilmuckridge man, Richard Larkin, won’t be slagging him this week.
Being honest, I had hoped that if Clare were to lose, it might be by a wider margin, thus dampening their enthusiasm and confidence for the road ahead.
I now worry that Sunday’s performance will only further this fine team’s desire with the roadblocks that are Wexford (if we beat Kerry) and Kilkenny being very achievable objectives.
Time enough to worry about that next week, however. Kilkenny did what Kilkenny do and retained their Leinster title (Brian Cody’s 18th) against a very disappointing Galway outfit, and sadly the talking point from this poor game revolves around the handshake.
I have incredible admiration for both men but the easiest way to bury it would have been to slip down the line immediately after the match and put all the speculation to bed.
I met my old friend and Oulart great, Brendan O’Connor, at the weekend and we laughed almost until we cried about the battles of yesteryear between the two clubs. Believe you me, there was a fair animosity between the black and red and green and yellow back then, but it is only a game and so nice to be able to sit, chat and laugh with our rivals now.
I have no doubt that both Henry and Brian will do the same down the road as they have been the most incredible hurling combination of this century.
Back to Saturday night, and congratulations to young Oulart hurler, Kevin Sheridan, on his wonderful academic achievements and to his proud parents, Hughie and Bernie.
A quick comment on T.J. Ryan’s claim about Wexford not being a good team back in the nineties, made on Brian Carroll’s excellent podcast recently.
Offaly got their due credit and, according to T.J., Limerick were an exceptionally fine team during the period, which I totally agree with.
Just to point out though that Wexford played a large part of the final with 14 players, and if a man of the match award were to be given to the losers, their goalkeeper Joe Quaid would have been the obvious choice.
The Wexford team of the nineties lost three league finals, one heartbreakingly after three games. They drew with Kilkenny (All-Ireland champions) in one of the best Leinster finals of that period in 1993, a game we left behind.
They beat Offaly and Kilkenny twice each in ’96 and ’97, suffering heartbreak to late D.J. (eight steps) and Johnny Dooley goals in ’91 and ’98 (a year in which Offaly went on to win the All-Ireland and Wexford were without Liam Dunne and Garry Laffan).
Wexford won two Leinster titles and most importantly one All-Ireland. In short, I am not making a claim to greatness but to say that Wexford of that era were not a good team is a little hard to take.
Finally, our trip to Kerry needs to be approached with caution. Having watched Kerry, there are huge vulnerabilities at the back but we need to be careful (reference Westmeath) and appreciate that Pádraig Boyle, Shane and Jordan Conway along with manager Stephen Molumphy will ensure no picnic in Tralee.
All going well we will be back next week getting ready for the Banner. Now, that should be some craic.
