True confession: I spent a fair amount of yesterday’s game unable to make out what was going on.

There’s been quite a debate about the proposed 5pm throw-in for the All-Ireland senior hurling final replay, and not just for the inconvenience.

Cork’s dramatic draw in the All-Ireland final on Sunday has acted like a booster shot to the GAA within the county.

After Cork beat Kilkenny in the All-Ireland quarter-final last month, manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy eventually made his way to the tunnel leading to the Semple Stadium dressing-rooms.

Sunday is Dr Con Murphy’s 25th All-Ireland final with Cork. Medic, psychologist, confidante, wise-cracker: the West Cork man has a best-selling memoir on his hands — if he ever decides to write it.

Cork folk in Duhallow are usually gearing up for the All-Ireland football final, but the rise of hurling in the division is no accident.

Where once Cork could field All-Ireland fifteens without leaving the city boundaries, now the Rebel hurling strongholds are flung far and wide, from Senior to Junior, says Michael Moynihan.

Consider yourself a self-respecting Rebel die-hard? Not unless you meet these criteria.

I SEE Brian O’Driscoll has been in the news again recently. In case you missed it, O’Driscoll has been speaking about his disappointment with being dropped for the third and final Lions game this summer against Australia, and he said he was a touch resentful towards coach Warren Gatland for not giving him a game in that series-decider.

Sunday is already too close to call for many observers, but Cork are seen as having one advantage over Clare, at least.