A drawn game, with another big day to come in a fortnight’s time, preceded by a week of fanfare and prognostication and excitement? A truly apocalyptic scenario alright.

Know how many points the bookies – or, more exactly, the bookies’ algorithms - reckon will be scored in Sunday's All-Ireland final? Around 57, and these people have a habit of being right about such matters

Limerick's downfall came in the fifth truly great All-Ireland championship encounter of the century.

John Kiely is not just beating his opponents but beating the game itself.

Not that anyone could have anticipated England being so shockingly dull, admittedly.

Cork are not the hope of the neutrals, they’re not the hope of anybody but themselves, yet they’ve never been more badly needed.

If the hurling nation wants to see new champions it’s on the basis of a desire for variety, not because the Treaty have annoyed them.

Kilkenny will have a tad more in the way of craft and nous when it comes to the clutch moments. Because when this pair meet, that’s how it usually goes.

At the end of the National League final two months ago one of the spectators left Semple Stadium and headed back to his car in downtown Thurles. En route he was buttonholed by not one but two sociable locals.

It is not the referee’s job to add to the spectacle at the expense of the rules.