Sixmilebridge have the experience to shatter Mount Sion’s dream
But it marked a watershed in the competition because it ended the monopoly of the three Cork teams Blackrock, the Barrs and Glen Rovers who had shared the previous 10 titles at provincial level and seven All-Irelands in the same period.
That 1981-82 season was also notable for the fact that Mount Sion brought the title to Waterford for the only time with a team including current manager Jim Greene, until Ballygunner were successful at their third attempt last year.
And, while Newmarket-on-Fergus had been winners in the late sixties (before the championship was organised at All-Ireland level), Clare had to wait until 1984 before Sixmilebridge made the breakthrough. Tomorrow, in Semple Stadium (2pm), they contest their eighth final, in search of their fourth win.
Clare's long-awaited breakthrough at inter-county level in 1995, under the inspired management of Ger Loughnane, coincided with a remarkable run of five consecutive victories by Banner clubs in the provincial championship.
They were followed by Wolfe Tones, Clarecastle and St Joseph's, Doora/Barefield whose dreams of three in a row were shattered by Ballygunner in the semi-final in Walsh Park last year.
One member of the present side, centre-back John Chaplin, has the distinction of figuring on the three previous wins (against Patrickswell in 1984, Eire Óg, Nenagh in 1995 and Mount Sion two years ago).
At the time of his first medal win, he was a 16-year-old wing-forward. Younger brother Christy also known as Rusty captained the winning side two years ago and again leads them into this final.
Manager Paddy Meehan was also in charge of preparations then, and feels they were successful ahead of their time.
"We felt the team was a bit young. We had made a few changes. But I think the team has matured a lot since then and that all going well, we will be there or thereabouts.''
Synonymous with the Bridge, of course, are county stars Davy Fitzgerald and Niall Gilligan (who first came to national prominence as a substitute in the 1996 All-Ireland win over Dunloy. Gerry McInerney, nowadays
better known as a journalist with the Clare Champion, was one of their leading players that day.
Ambitions of another national title after the 2000 win over Mount Sion were thwarted in a replay by Graigue-Ballycallan. "They were probably the better team on the day. But we could have stolen in when Davy hit a 21-yards free over the bar in the last minute,'' he recalled.
Predictably, because of Clare's prolonged campaign in the All-Ireland series, the county championship was stretched out. "The way it started for us, we played Eire Óg in the first round and then we didn't have a game for eight weeks. We played fairly well that day. It was a fairly crunch game between St Joseph's and O'Callaghan's Mills were in our group.
"It wasn't easy preparing when you could be without nine or 10 of your regulars for various reasons.
"You could say that we just did enough to get by, until we came to the county semi-final against Newmarket when we played reasonably well, and again in the final against Clarecastle.''
Like all of the other club sides who advanced through Munster over the last seven years, Sixmilebridge could be said to have played their better hurling once they were freed of the pressure of winning the county championship.
Nevertheless, Meehan accepts that their semi-final win over Blackrock was a bit too close for comfort. "It was one of those games which we seemed to have won. We were four points clear with a quarter of an hour to go and all of a sudden we found ourselves a point behind. You could say we were lucky to get away with a win. There was nothing between the two teams.''
Meehan has an open mind about the final. The one thing he is reasonably certain of is that, with the promise of favourable weather conditions, they can look forward to playing on one of the best surfaces in the country.
He knows enough about the Waterford side from their meeting two years ago and from studying a video of their recent game against Mullinahone to know what his team is up against.
Likewise, he recognises the profile of the game in the county has increased hugely over the last 12 months.
"It's a bit like when Clare made the breakthrough,'' he said. "Everybody knows that Waterford hurling is on a high since Justin McCarthy arrived.
Ballygunner won last year, Waterford are the Munster champions and Mount Sion are back in the final. "But, you can be sure that we will be doing everything in our power to stop them.''
The game is live on TG4.
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