New pretenders to hurling throne are circling the wagons

In hurling there’s a cycle every 20 years or so in the middle section of the decade. “New teams” surface and hold sway until they fade and the big guns boom again.

Five cycles ago in the infancy of World War I, Clare, not seen again until 1995, did battle with Laois for the All-Ireland title. Clare were captained by Amby Power who had given a great display.

According to match reports “the major portion of the honours fall” to the captain “who evinced form which I do not remember seeing bettered”.