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.

A win for his county would mean him running the gauntlet of hundreds of disappointed fans on Monday, although another Kilkenny victory will mean another bout of slagging.

“It seems to get worse as the years go on,” he said.

Among his students is Dylan Waugh, a member of Kilkenny’s minor panel, which is also going for glory tomorrow, against Clare.

“In Tipp,” the principal added, “we hope to finish off what we should have finished last year, but didn’t.

“It was there for the taking but that’s the standard of the Cats – they’re never beaten.”

Kilkenny fans are taking nothing for granted this year. Nonetheless, they have been bolstered by a prediction from a local psychic, Mystic Moira.

The psychic has a 100% record in predictions for all GAA matches for a number of seasons and has forecast the Cats will take the title once more.

Meanwhile, in a poll being carried out in the county, two thirds of participants believe the team will win by at least four points.