With 30 seconds remaining yesterday, as Borris-Ileigh were desperately trying to stay ahead, and Ballygunner were frantically trying to find a way to stay alive, Dan McCormack lost his hurley as he battled for possession in front of the seated stand in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Back when Borris-Illeigh were winning county titles in Tipp and supplying captains to the county, Seamus Quigley and the lads from Kiladangan would tip over and celebrate with them. Borris were royalty and Kiladangan could only imagine.

Clonoulty-Rossmore suffered a setback when losing to Toomevara 0-19 to 1-18 at The Ragg last evening in a game that finished in a welter of excitement as Clonoulty sought to wipe out an eight-point gap in the closing 10 minutes.

The rivalry has defined so much of this decade it shouldn’t be surprising that the players and their skills have done so too.

Captain Kyle Shelly kicked 2-8 (2-2 from play) as a strong, skilful and speedy Tipperary had the two points wrapped up by half-time.

After 101 years of waiting, the Christian Brothers College supporters weren’t in any rush to leave a damp Kilfinane on Saturday.

Dave Carey may be the Glanmire manager but he insists it is a Cork football legend that deserves all the credit for their historic run to Sunday’s All-Ireland ladies junior final.

The game was over and a damp dusk drawing in but the people walking around Walsh Park were in no hurry to leave.

Sean Carey was the toast of Moyle Rovers as his injury-time goal knocked arch-rivals and holders Clonmel Commercials out of the county senior football championship in a thrilling semi-final at Cahir — Rovers won 2-7 to 0-11.

Nenagh Éire Óg 2-18 Thurles Sarsfields 2-15

Two goals in the opening quarter were decisive as Nenagh Éire Óg ended the SHC challenge of Loughmore-Castleiney with a 2-17 to 0-18 win at Dolla yesterday.

Just when you thought this hurling summer could spoil us no more, the youngsters from Tipperary and Cork go and produce a most incredible finish to the last ever All-Ireland U21 final.

Tipperary defender Michael Cahill was forced to retire with a hamstring injury 34 minutes into his club Thurles Sarsfields 1-19 to 1-16 victory over Upperchurch-Drombane in the Mid Tipperary SHC quarter-final.

Upperchurch-Drombane caused a bit of a stir with a 0-20 to 1-13 win over a fancied but understrength Drom-Inch in the Tipperary SHC first round at Templetuohy on Saturday evening.

Former Tipperary star Lar Corbett believes the revamped All-Ireland senior hurling championship will be good for the game — so long as there are no dead rubber contests.

The decision to bring forward the date of the All-Ireland hurling final to mid-August was a mistake, according to Tipperary manager Michael Ryan.

Tipperary captain Pádraic Maher accepts neither he or any of his team-mates will be able to play all league and championship games next year because of the condensed schedule.

Things we learned

There’s a little history between Ballygunner and Na Piarsaigh. Given the pool of clubs jostling to get out of the Munster club SHC, that’s hardly surprising, but Paul Flynn is worried that the backstory may be more beneficial to the Limerick champions than to his club mates in black and red.

“The record is not something we have brought up or even discussed,” said Na Piarsaigh manager Shane O’Neil after their Munster semi-final win over Blackrock.

Publican and former hurler of the year Lar Corbett has been fined €250 after admitting allowing people to be on his licensed premises almost an hour after closing time.

Borris-Ileigh 0-11 Thurles Sarsfields 1-24: It’s no accident that Thurles Sarsfields collected a fourth Tipperary SHC title in a row yesterday in Semple Stadium.

There were three county hurling finals and four county football finals played around the country today.

’The cock will be there Sunday,” confirms Borris-Ileigh chairman Mark Stapleton. “It’s a tradition and the older generation want to keep it.”

Tipperary captain Pádraic Maher says the scheduling of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship, not the format, is a concern.

Thurles Sarsfields will meet Borris-Ileigh in Tipp final for first time since 1955.

John Coffey is hurling’s oldest living holder of an All-Ireland medal, having turned 99 in January. He played corner forward for Tipperary in the 1945 final win over Kilkenny, scoring the opening goal, writes PM O’Sullivan.

This Limerick U21 team carries shades of last year’s Waterford class.

Tipperary captain Padraic Maher has claimed there is often an overreaction to the county’s defeats and described the last fortnight as particularly ‘disruptive’.

Champions Thurles Sarsfields set down a marker for those aspiring to take their title from them when they romped to a 5-32 to 0-7 win over Carrick Swans in their opening game in defence of the Tipperary senior hurling title at Cashel.

When Gary Brennan tries to describe his relationship with hurling and this magical, unlikely journey he and Ballyea have found themselves on, he’ll often break into a light laugh.

Tipperary captain Padraic Maher says there’s plenty of young talent coming through in the county but they must take their chances in the league if they want to experience championship glory first hand.