Trending to the future

SUCH was the turmoil of mayhem, madness and general swirling of Banners and Bodhrans in the old place that afternoon that you’re forgiven if you can’t recall what had happened a couple of hours earlier.

The first Sunday of September. 1995. Croke Park. Loughnane had re-carved a place for Clare in hurling history and there, watching from the stands, was a proud gaggle of young Cork hurlers, nurturing the minor medal they’d snatched from under Kilkenny noses when many of the pitch invaders were still draining the last of their pre-match pints.

Among the medalled teenagers were Donal Óg Cusack, Joe Deane, Timmy McCarthy and Sean Óg Ó hAilpín.