Just shy of 20 minutes in Seamus Flanagan’s company is enough to understand the flame still burns in Limerick. The bonfires that heralded last August’s All-Ireland triumph have long since been extinguished but within these young men there remains a fury.

There’s usually less debate about the hurling All-Stars than you get with the football All-Stars.

It was Declan Hannon who said it, sitting in the victors’ banquet with the Liam MacCarthy Cup in front of him: ‘We’ve all marched behind the band out the back garden when we were four, five, six years of age.’

It was Declan Hannon who said it, sitting in the victors’ banquet with the Liam MacCarthy Cup in front of him: ‘We’ve all marched behind the band out the back garden when we were four, five, six years of age.’

I’m so pleased for Limerick.

Final reflections with Enda McEvoy.

This All-Ireland final was all about Limerick until the last 10 minutes.

A championship like no other. A champion team like no other.

Galway and Limerick have both named their starting lineups ahead of this Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final at Croke Park.

Corner-back on Clare’s all-conquering teams in 1995 and 1997, but now resident across the border in Oranmore, home of Galway centre-back Gearóid McInerney, Frank Lohan is well-placed to tackle the main questions heading into tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final replay between the two counties.

By last Wednesday, John Meyler needed to rinse away the weekend. Extra-time. Defeat to Limerick. The long hours on the motorway back from Croke Park.

Some hurling matches resonate far more than others, with a draw doubly eloquent.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice shipped some criticism last week when he reintroduced Paul Geaney against Monaghan after a disappointing initial foray for the Dingle man.

Gus Lohan is admirably content with not remembering everything but he does recall his first score for Clar

Few understand the Clare v Galway dynamic better than Gus Lohan, who hurled for both counties in the same season. There was county football played too, for Monaghan, and Gus’ switch from Cappataggle in Galway to Newmarket-on-Fergus in Clare paid rich dividend for the Banner a generation later, when sons Brian and Frank won two All-Ireland titles. Today, in Croke Park, a father and son will take some joy whatever the result.

After all the commotion of the past seven days, today's two provincial hurling finals could hardly have come at a better time for the GAA and everyone who follows it. 

Of the three games I took in over the weekend, the toughest to referee was clearly the one in Salthill.

Galway 1-22 Kilkenny 2-11

The year ends with an eight, Galway are reigning All-Ireland champions, there’s a McInerney in the half-back line and a Cooney in the half-forwards.

Next month’s Munster senior hurling championship will place huge demands on players but Austin Gleeson believes pay for play would spoil inter-county Gaelic games.

Neal Peden’s Antrim almost landed the first major knock-out blow of the season, but the All-Ireland and league champions Galway finally found their form in the closing minutes to take the points at Pearse Stadium.

Putting an end to the yawning 29-year wait for an All-Ireland title has lifted a weight of anxiety off Galway, believes All-Star centre-back Gearóid McInerney, who hopes the county will now hurl with greater freedom and confidence.

Cyril Farrell has tipped Joe Canning to win hurler of the year — but believes Galway’s Gearóid McInerney should have been one of the three players nominated.

In a TV interview afterwards, David Burke spoke about an incident midway through the second half, where he shouted to Joe Canning, Conor Cooney, and Joseph Cooney.

From a distance, the world looks maroon and white this morning.

Not many counties have managed the full set in the one calendar year but this was all about the moment Galway captain David Burke trotted up the steps of the Hogan Stand just after five o’clock and raised the last bit of silverware high above his head.

Donal O’Grady gives his tactical breakdown of an intriguing All-Ireland final.

Long after they stepped from the field and handed back the maroon shirt, Galway’s celebrated men of ’87 and ’88 continue to look out for one another.

Paul Keane discusses the upcoming All-Ireland Final between Galway and Waterford with TJ Reid.

As Galway v Tipperary games go, Anthony Daly felt yesterday’s was on another level.

Galway have shown to date that when they are tuned and ready, they are capable of wrecking teams, writes Anthony Daly.

After Clare were well beaten by Cork in the 1998 league semi-final in Thurles, myself, Fergie Tuohy, and ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin went back to Powers in Clarecastle.

To me, Derek McGrath has been manager of the year to date.