September 1, 1997. The day John Kiely began teaching in The Abbey was Conor O’Brien’s first as a student in the Tipperary town secondary school. Just as there was heartache for a young O’Brien in seeing Tipperary go down to Clare later that month, there had been for Kiely as a member of Tom Ryan’s Limerick panel against Wexford 12 months previous.

Last year’s champions Thurles CBS made it two wins from two in Group C of the Dr Harty Cup as they pulled away from Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa of Doon in the final quarter at Toomevara yesterday.