Ballygunner are an incredible team and were deserving nine-point winners, but Ballyea probably couldn’t have done any more than what they produced.

Tony Kelly and almost every other Ballyea player, will need a season-defining, possibly even a career-defining display, to win this one

In fairness to the Barrs, they couldn’t have done much more than they did after losing Conor Cahalane so early to a red card

Ballygunner will be marginal favourites against Na Piarsaigh but they’re coming up against a side with lethal inside forwards and incredible experience all over the field, both at club and inter-county level. 

To score 3-23 in a county final in 60 minutes against a team with Kilmallock’s experience showed the firepower Na Piarsaigh have

Limerick are still the top dogs but, in a discreet kind of way, the seven All-Stars they secured also tells you that they’re not the same untouchables that they appeared to be in 2021

Did the Rockies think it was just going to happen for them in the second half? I’d say there may have been hints of that attitude.

I’ve said it here before that Limerick are a different team without Cian, and the news over the last few days of his ankle injury does alter the dynamic again.

Limerick are driving towards history but Brian Cody and his team will be doing everything to stop it in its tracks for more than just trying to win this All-Ireland

The first semi-final is a hard game to call but I think the lads might just take off in Croke Park. We love the place, even though we’ve had a lot of difficult days up there too. It won’t be easy but Clare’s defence is very settled, while our front eight picks itself.