Discipline, desire and dedication the Banner buzzwords

Cusack Park in Ennis is the headquarters of Clare GAA, the field on which the All-Ireland senior hurling champions of 2013 were fired and forged.

Directly across the river Fergus from the back of the new stand is Rice College and sitting behind the desk in the Principal’s office is one of the smiths who did that forging, team coach and selector Louis Mulqueen.

It’s not a renowned hurling nursery, Rice College; that honour is held by St Flannan’s, on the other side of the town. There was that one year though, when the local college hurling world did tilt on its axis, recalled Mulqueen with a wry smile.