'If it's the worst county final in history, I don't care. All that matters is we win'

THE best of coaches will rarely single out one of their own players for special mention, unless it's for an ulterior motive.

The Cloyne coach has brought his team to their first ever Cork senior hurling final in this, his first year in charge, but he'll never single out Donal Óg Cusack.

Why? Because the Cloyne coach is Donal Óg Cusack. He is also the team captain and, from his all-seeing position in goal, the literal and physical driving-force behind their recent crusade to the top. Not that he'll thank anyone for pointing that out. "Please," he begs, "I would have preferred if the fact I was coaching the lads hadn't been made public; don't write me up now as the guy who knows it all." He doesn't know it all, nobody does, but he knows a lot.