One evening a few weeks back, Jackie Tyrrell and I were talking about the Dr Harty Cup when I mentioned to Jackie that my Harty medal from 1987 meant far more to me than the Croke Cup (All-Ireland) I won with St Flannan’s against St Kieran’s six weeks later.

When I took my seat in the stand in Nowlan Park yesterday, near the 45-metre line, I found myself beside a nice man from Clara. He was a quiet fella, who said very little, until he felt like making a point or asking a question. When Limerick made their final substitution in the 69th minute, the gentleman asked me who was the Limerick player being introduced. ‘Gearoid Hegarty,’ I said. ‘Jeez,’ he replied with an audible groan.

On the night Cork beat Clare in the 1999 Munster final, Johnny Callanan, the former Clarecastle and Clare hurler, and a great personal friend, told me a funny story. A few pints had helped to siphon some of the pain from the defeat but Cal wanted to try put more perspective on the day’s events.

RTÉ cameras did not conclusively prove Limerick should have had a goal disallowed against Westmeath, according to the GAA’s national games administration and national match officials manager Pat Doherty.