Mike Quirke: How to keep calm before the storm of All-Ireland final day

I always loved watching the All-Ireland hurling final, particularly when we were preparing for another shot at the football title with Kerry.

Being in Croke Park for the hurling is like being mesmerised by the gracefulness of the high flying acrobats at the circus… a couple of weeks later, and the lion tamers burst into the ring with their footballs to put on a different kind of show.

In modern GAA, you may be led to believe one act is more aesthetically pleasing than the other. That may be the case perhaps, but both ensure you can’t take your eyes off the action — either someone falls from a great height, or gets eaten by a wild animal. That’s must-see TV.