Beaufort's Sean O’Brien impresses as Kerry shake off the remnants of 2023

Early doors, of course, but at least any half-conclusions from the night’s opening McGrath Cup exchanges had a ring of authenticity about them, rendering all the aquatic clichés unnecessary.

WINNING START: Kerry's Keith Evans in action against Tipperary's Darragh Brennan during the McGrath Cup Group A match in Tralee. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

McGrath Cup SF: Kerry 3-20 Tipperary 0-10

MAN of the match at Austin Stack Park? Timmy Daly (Churchill), the head groundsperson who rendered the field as playable as anyone could after a month of hard Kerry rain – and an inter-county hurling game the evening prior.