Solo now not just for show as modern game evolves

Last weekend was marked by two epic runs in Thurles. In extra-time on Saturday evening, Waterford’s Jamie Barron won the ball near Kilkenny’s 65, spotted a gap and tore into it.

He had plenty of opportunities to take his point but he powered on for the goal, combining a gorgeous dummy handpass with a wicked sidestep in the process. Even the hurley-juggling required to sell the handpass didn’t impact on his shot.

The next afternoon, in injury time, Damien Cahalane stormed out of Cork’s defence with the ball in his hand. Like Barron, he had plenty of chances to strike the ball but he just kept going. Sixty, 70, 80 metres.