Anthony Daly: Selling dummies, plenty of niggle and Tipp building depth

Brian Lohan has the same attitude towards match programmes as Ger Loughnane did – they’re only good for starting the fire in winter.

Tipperary’s Gearoid O’Connor celebrates scoring a penalty in added time  

I left home in Tullycrine just after 10 yesterday morning and turned the car south for Waterford. Paul Murphy, the county councillor, said he had a ticket for me so I nestled into the stand beside Paul, his son Cathal, Johnny Callanan and Emmett Moloney, luxuriating in the new seats which were much more comfortable than the old wooden benches that used to decorate the covered stand.

There was a Waterford man the other side of me, a fierce sound fella, and we got chatting about Donal Óg Cusack’s speech on stadiums the previous night before the Cork-Kilkenny game. We both agreed with Cusack’s sentiments. "How many times will this place be packed out this year?" I asked. "Twice," said the Waterford man, "for the two round robin games in Munster." "It will be the same for Cusack Park," I replied. "Twice. Cusack was right. We don’t need any more white elephants."