Pupils show divided loyalties

IF Tipp defy the odds tomorrow and stop the Cats’ five-in-a-row dreams, one blue-and-gold supporter who may wish to avoid work is Willie Norton.

A native of Ballingarry on the Tipperary side of its border with Kilkenny, Willie is principal of Grennan College in Thomastown, where he has spent many of the last eight years watching his pupils celebrating in early September.

More often than not, anyway: “This is my eighth year and I think they’ve been in seven finals during that time,” he admitted ruefully yesterday, as all around him looked forward to another day in the sun.