Too close to call, could even be a draw

UNLESS you’re in a situation where the protagonists are regular winners of their own county titles, and thus meet thereafter on a fairly regular basis, trying to predict what’s going to happen in a provincial club final is pretty much an impossible business.

Newtownshandrum have won four Cork county titles this decade, Ballygunner three in Waterford, but only once before have they come across each other in Munster, four years ago.

Newtownshandrum won 0-16 to 1-12, courtesy of a five-point run in the last 10 minutes, but what can we tell from that? Alright, most of the Newtown team is still in place, with two from the full-back line (Brendan Mulcahy and Dermot Gleeson, captain this year), two half-backs (long-serving Pat Mulcahy and Phillip Noonan), and both midfielders (Cathal Naughton and Jerry O’Connor, now operating on the 40).