Ben O’Connor will have tried to assess every detail of how Cork managed 2025.

Loughrea were nowhere near the levels required to take down a team of Ballygunner's quality.

A personal lesson in discipline frames a sharp-eyed look at Loughrea’s challenge against an imperious Ballygunner side

We didn’t get the semis we hoped for though the first half of the Ballygunner-St Martin’s game was riveting if a bit over tactical.

St Martin’s were outstanding in the Leinster final but they’ll have to be even better again to win against Ballygunner. 

Dessie Hutchinson's comments post-match underlined how they were clearly only looking for an angle when the bookies were more or less telling everybody that the Gunners only had to show up.

If Loughmore-Castleiney were in this final, I think they’d be given a much better chance than Éire Óg are being afforded now.

All that has to be decided now is the Hurler-of-the-Year and Young Hurler-of-the-Year. My choice would be John McGrath and Robert Doyle. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jake Morris won the HOTY but I would be if Robert Doyle didn’t win YHOTY.

Now that Pat Ryan has decided to move on, my main emotion is sadness that it ended this way for one of hurling’s true gentlemen. It’s not a totally sad ending because it’s Pat’s own decision but nobody knows the full details either.

Cork must deliver this afternoon — or face the backlash. Can Tipperary upset the odds and turn up like Galway in 1993?