Tom Condon was the Limerick player in possession of the sliotar when Joe Canning’s pot shot at glory dropped agonisingly short at Croke Park last Sunday. Yet Kyle Hayes, in his own way, may have played a role in influencing those final few frantic moments, as Canning tried in vain from a long-range free to level up the All-Ireland final.

Paraphrasing poet Thomas McCarthy, ‘A county rising is a beautiful thing’. Limerick is rising. Their senior hurlers have made sure of that.

A photograph of a father celebrating with this two sons captured not just the emotion of Limerick’s victory on Sunday — but also the very essence of what makes the GAA so special.

I saw two photos on Sunday, on the magnificent, blissful day that Limerick attained Nirvana and won the All-Ireland Championship for the first time in 45 years.

After a weekend where hope and history so perfectly rhymed, how fitting it was that the Limerick homecoming should sign off with a sing-song.

Tens of thousands rocked the home of Limerick hurling as the newly crowned All-Ireland champions arrived home in style with the Liam MacCarthy cup.

Limerick’s All-Ireland winning players and management could be in line for an all-expenses paid team holiday to JP McManus’ luxurious Sandy Lane resort in Barbados later this year.

Conor Lane will referee the All Ireland Football final meeting of Dublin and Tyrone.

The scoreline does not reflect the magnificent efforts of Tipperary in the first half but it does showcase one more the ability of Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie champions Cork to split the posts from outside the defensive cordon.

It’s the pinnacle of every referee’s career — the All-Ireland final — and you want to match what is a marvellous occasion with an equally marvellous performance.

The scoreline does not reflect the magnificent efforts of Tipperary in the first half but it does showcase once more the ability of All-Ireland senior camogie champions Cork to produce a performance in a pressure situation.

Out through the corridor and onto the internal road under the Hogan Stand, the songs from the Limerick dressing room could be heard loud and clear.

His acceptance speech was all about the collective but finding time to reflect under the Hogan Stand Declan Hannon could speak about his own redemption.

When it comes to back-to-back success, Kilkenny, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, are the market leaders. Seven times a Kilkenny team has successfully defended Liam MacCarthy in the 30 years since Galway managed this feat.

The past month has been ‘tough’ for Gavin O’Mahony, having called time on his inter-county career last year — but having been part of the Limerick evolution, he’d love nothing more than for them to finish the job tomorrow, he tells

Galway manager Kevin Walsh will pass on the opportunity to rest his marquee players for Saturday’s visit of Monaghan, according to former Farney forward Tommy Freeman.

Father Time was pointing impatiently at his watch but the great Clare team of the 90s still had things to do.

Mayo’s coach for the last six seasons, Donie Buckley, and long-serving goalkeeping coach, Peter Burke, are both leaving the county management team.

The game from the gods with a Championship to boot, selecting All-Stars right now is a difficult exercise. There’s the increased quality obviously; so too the additional number of games from last year’s competition.

At the end of the match yesterday, I shook hands with Dave Punch, the former Limerick hurler, who works for RTÉ. He asked me if I saw the attendance. I did, I said — 71,000. Dave corrected me. ‘No, Dalo, 71,073.’