Cork senior hurling manager John Meyler says any of the county U20s who “put up their hands” playing at that level can come into consideration for the senior side this season.

Limerick captain Declan Hannon is one of the few players in green and white to win a Munster hurling final, back in 2013, but he knows the disappointment of a provincial final defeat as well.

Liam Sheedy didn’t require much coaxing to part company with his views on referee Colm Lyons’ performance.

While he was still in his early 20s, but sometime after he’d blazed onto the scene winning back-to-back Wimbledon titles, Boris Becker indicated just how worldly and weary he already was by that point. 

There was an air of unreality about the whole day. Maybe it was the lack of complaint. There’s nothing normal or natural about it, hearing thousands of people amble about admiring things, especially in Cork.

Award-winning writer Eimear Ryan on the visceral feel of an All-Ireland success for Tipperary against Kilkenny.

On the law of averages, Galway are due a win against Kilkenny tomorrow. Scrap that; on that law of averages Galway are overdue a win against Kilkenny tomorrow.

It was without doubt the game of the year. The picture of the Tipp players prostrate on the ground as Galway celebrated said it all. The Premier came up just short and Galway won because they stubbornly refused to be beaten.

Ahead of Sunday’s Munster final, Waterford manager Derek McGrath has described some of the current Tipperary hurlers as “some of the best players who’ve ever played the game”.

Tipperary’s possession statistics tell most of the story. Against Limerick on Sunday in the Gaelic Grounds, two of Tipp’s most active players were John O’Dwyer and Seamus Callanan, both operating in the full-forward line.

Tipperary 2-19 Clare 0-20

Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 2-14

In the end it was hard to avoid the feeling that there was something valedictory, something end-of-era, about it all.

And so we arrive at the replay fixture — at long, long last.

Seamus Hickey, Shane Dowling, Conor Lehane, Mark Ellis and Pat Horgan would seem to be the only genuine All Star contenders outside of Saturday’s All-Ireland replay finalists. So, if the best team this year were to be picked from Kilkenny and Tipperary, what would it look like? John Fogarty pulls out his teamsheet.

Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-28: The finest of fares. The finest of margins.

What can I say. What can anyone say. What a privilege to be present. Tactics yesterday? What tactics?

Presuming the system was recalibrated for hurling — you can’t be too sure — Hawk-Eye justified its cost yesterday. After the calamity of last year’s Limerick-Galway semi-final, it was redemption in a way.

Another September.

Let me tell you somethin’, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.

By Peter O'Dwyer

Passion. Spirit. Fire. Brimstone. All the words so commonly associated with a good Limerick hurling performance before Sunday and afterwards.

I questioned on Saturday how many tight games this Tipperary team had won, thought this might be the one. I was wrong, they came up short again, and in their home ground.

For the third year in a row, Tipperary and Limerick meet in their opening Munster Championship encounter when they face off at Semple Stadium on Sunday evening.

A first-hand account of the league final

Kilkenny 2-25 Tipperary 1-27 (aet)

There was one winner in Semple Stadium in this league final, above either Kilkenny or Tipperary, and that winner was hurling.

Call it Tipperary’s Sliding Doors moment.

The best games in the last number of years have been between Kilkenny and Tipperary.

Donal O’Grady’s shock departure from the Limerick camp wouldn’t be lulling Tipperary selector Michael Ryan into a false sense of security ahead of their Munster Senior Hurling Championship meeting on June 1.

On the way to the Gaelic Grounds yesterday, the fine weather, fellas having tea and sandwiches from the boot of the car, it made you crave for summer hurling.

Tipperary 2-24 Clare 2-17

I fancied one of the Division 1A games would be a draw this week and I was right, with Clare and Galway finishing all square in Ennis.

Mikey Barry clutches tightly his man of the match award and tries to make sense of the past 60 minutes.

And so with one bound they were free, these cornered, scalded felines.

On the basis that the hurling summer may not get better than this, let’s rejoice with Limerick and be glad while we can

Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15

Has another spring in Division 1B steeled Limerick for the championship?

Nowlan Park was the ideal venue for yesterday’s League final.

The big thing question I have ahead of tomorrow’s National League hurling semi-finals is who wants to win the competition the most this year?