Anthony Daly: Ballyea have knowhow but Gunners dialed up the heat like champions do

In fairness to the Barrs, they couldn’t have done much more than they did after losing Conor Cahalane so early to a red card

UP FOR IT: Mossy Gavin of Ballyea in action against Cian Walsh of St Finbarr's during the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship semi-final match between Ballyea and St Finbarr's at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

In the run up to Sunday, I contacted two high ranking officials in the Clare and Limerick county boards to ensure I got to see both games with peace of mind. Those phone calls facilitated my brisk escape route from Ennis – where I was parked in the Cloister car park - to a safe passage into the car park at the back of the terracing in the Gaelic Grounds to make sure I was sitting comfortably in the Mackey Stand before the start of the Ballygunner-Na Piarsaigh match.

All good plans, though, can easily come apart with extra-time and penalties in the modern game. I had set myself up in ‘The Shed’ – the North stand – in Cusack Park but the din from the loudspeaker blaring out from the nest of ‘Barrs supporters was such an assault on my eardrums that I moved over to the far side to watch the second half.