May Day has passed and D-Day is looming

On my first year on the Clare panel in 1989, we had five-weeks with the clubs after the league finished, writes Anthony Daly.

Five weeks! Not so chronic if you were hurling for Sixmilebridge, Feakle or Éire Óg Ennis etc but a disaster for the lads in the smaller clubs. We were brought back together for a tournament in Westmeath, to play for the ‘Harry’s of Kinnegad’ Trophy. We beat Westmeath on the Saturday and the final was fixed for the following day against Antrim. Nobody was supposed to go out that night. That was the plan anyway.

The local club put up the teams. Myself and the other three Clarecastle lads were staying in houses near each other. We had no interest the Late Late show and Gaybo so we took off for two or three jars to gently pass the night away. We wound up at a Beach Party disco in Mullingar.