Anthony Daly: Hurt is clearly driving this Ballygunner squad

That hurt is clearly driving this Ballygunner squad, but I felt that their main source of motivation going into yesterday was the fallout from the Loughmore-Castleiney game

MY BALL: Ballygunner’s Conor Sheehan attempts to shield the ball from Kilmallock’s Ciaran O’Connor during the AIB Munster Club SHC final, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Ryan Byrne

Before Christmas, I met Ger Loughnane and Tony Considine in Ennis for a catch-up. Tony doesn’t take a drink, but he joined us and we had a great chat about hurling — sure what else would we be talking about?

The fortunes of Kilmallock was obviously discussed. I got the impression from Tony that he’d have preferred if the Munster final was played a week after they took Midleton apart, especially with two of their players getting married the week before the Ballygunner game.