The latter stages of the senior hurling All-Ireland is motoring along quite nicely without them, thank you very much, and it’s nine years since a side featuring TJ Reid and Richie Hogan claimed the last of their 11 national U21 titles with a defeat of Tipperary.

I WAS talking to Kilkenny County Board chairman Ned Quinn on Sunday morning, in relation to the injury to star defender JJ Delaney (which, by the way — and I said this in a text to JJ — will also have upset every true Cork hurling supporter), and something he said got me doing a little research. Herewith then, a few facts.