Too hot to handle

WHERE DO you begin describing a game that took every cliche in the well-thumbed annals of the Munster senior hurling championship final, and exaggerated it?

From early morning, every highway and byway into Thurles was jammed with the colourful thousands from Cork and Waterford; from even earlier, the old square rocked and rolled to the time-honoured rhythm of two sets of convivial, confident, but mutually respectful supporters, gathered in anticipation of a great day for their respective counties.

Important, though, it is to its great tradition, to hurling fans the build-up is just the sideshow to the true carnival; what really matters on Munster hurling final day is the hurling, the game, what happens on the field. Yesterday’s Guinness decider will rank very high, in those ancient annals.