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.

You often hear it that a game is as good as four training sessions but Kilkenny nearly prefer the training sessions, because their manager can get them all together and strengthen their bond even more

I was hoping I might meet Brian Lohan but I ran into a handful of old comrades on the field; Niall Gilligan, Eamonn Taaffe, Stephen McNamara. It felt like the old days again...

Like in anything controversial, there is always a reaction after a reaction. The disciplinary bodies need to get their houses in order but is some player going to pay a heavy price for this mess?

When Dublin lost to Antrim in Croke Park in 2010, I hadn’t the stomach to go home. I drove to Galway, booked into a hotel and spent the night staring at the ceiling

Kilkenny just force you to do things you don’t want to but the more the game progressed, the more Galway reverted to type and old habits of playing as individuals

The build-up has been manic; 11,000 terrace tickets sold out in 11 minutes; Ianróid Eireann having to put on extra trains; busses packed to capacity. Madness, but great madness

Cork had no momentum after those first two games but they’ve found it somewhere.

Cork looked to have rediscovered some of the mojo from last year. On the other hand, where are Waterford? In that context, nobody really has any clue where Cork are at

John Kiely will also have been upset and annoyed at the incident last Sunday night when a Limerick player got involved with a Tipp opponent