Kilmallock couldn’t cope with the heat

So much for pre-match expectations. Kilmallock had shown great resolve and commitment to win Munster.

I was expecting Ballyhale to win, but I was looking forward to a battle. I expected the Limerick outfit to get in the faces of the favourites and make them earn their win by cutting down the space and time the Shamrock stars had on the ball.

But, it was the other way round. Shamrocks’ forwards and midfielders tackled quickly, forcing the men in green to strike the ball a little quicker than they wanted. The Kilmallock half backs didn’t get the time to pick out colleagues further upfield with accurate passes due to the pressure being applied.