Ballyea's village heroes can eye bigger prize

Thurles on a wintry afternoon bears little relation to the event flash of a midsummer championship game, but the jubilation at the final whistle is a constant. After the freezing fog yielded to a watery sun yesterday in Semple Stadium, the travellers from across the river Shannon were the happier.

Ballyea came into yesterday’s Munster club hurling final as unknowns, if not exactly outsiders. They had only recently collected a first Clare senior championship and needed a last-gasp goal to take experienced Thurles Sarsfields to extra-time in the semi-final.

By contrast, their opponents trailed a fair reputation as they came up the M8 from Cork. Glen Rovers put back-to-back county titles together this season and could look to a searching test against Patrickswell in their last outing. They had anniversaries - 100 years since their founding, 50 since collecting a first Munster club - which could be viewed as omens by the superstitious, and by those who appreciate consistency in their traditional powerhouses.