Respect, from Cardiff to Croker

LAST Friday afternoon, at 5pm, there was a media briefing, Cork version, at the luxurious Maryborough Hotel in Douglas, in advance of this Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling final.

Before we all sat down to talk, however, several Cork players strolled around outside in their swanky new suits, courtesy of Best’s Menswear in Mahon Point: one of the perks those players get for reaching yet another All-Ireland final.

While all this was going on, several players from the Munster rugby squad that would be playing Leicester Tigers later in the evening in their season-opening friendly passed into the hotel. Donncha O’Callaghan, outstanding second row last season in Munster’s Heineken European Cup win, in Ireland’s Triple Crown success, is acutely aware of just who the hurlers are; so aware, in fact, that he reckons it helped inspire Munster (the Cork contingent at any rate) to success in their European quest.