Anthony Daly: Barrs rolled up their sleeves and decided they wanted it more

Did the Rockies think it was just going to happen for them in the second half? I’d say there may have been hints of that attitude.

SOARING: Ben Cunningham in action for The 'Barrs winning possession in the air against Cathal Cormack, Blackrock in driving rain in the Co-Op Superstores Premier Senior Hurling Championship final. Pic: Larry Cummins

When I set off to Cork from west Clare yesterday morning, the weather was decent. Dull and overcast but no rain. By the time I reached Charleville though, the rain was hammering off the windscreen. By the time I was passing the statue of the great Irish elk on the Mallow-Cork road, I could barely even see the road, never mind spot the huge bronze antlers on top of the hill.

By that stage, I was only going at about 30kmph. It was a crawl from there into the Park. I was lucky I left early. I got in for the last 25 minutes of the curtain raiser between Inniscarra and Castlemartyr. That was a rip-roaring contest but you knew by that stage, when the pitch was already taking on huge water, that the elements were going to play a huge part in how the senior final would pan out.