What a spectacle last Sunday was at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
It had it all in terms of atmosphere, crowd and even the weather played its part. Being down pitch side before the senior game it was hard to believe it was a league final rather than championship fare.
It was also difficult to comprehend the physical conditioning of the players from all four counties. I’d be afraid to get a phone call from Cork forward Brian Hayes let alone a shoulder.
The games probably did not live up to such an atmosphere, but the better teams clearly won on the day.
One frustration was – and we’re all human and make mistakes – the failure of referees to call stonewall decisions. Offaly should have been awarded a penalty when Brian Duignan’s hurley was nearly taken home by the Waterford defender.
The only damp squib was the ticket allocation for the counties involved.
Now I know we all have equal access to the internet on our little island so we could all have logged onto Ticketmaster, but by the time certain fans were made aware of this, the majority of the tickets were gone.
Some counties are just better at informing clubs and fans and there is still a big learning on that front. We all knew that Tipp and Cork were going to sell this out on their own, so putting the 1B final on in Thurles or Nowlan Park would have served Waterford and Offaly supporters much better.
For Waterford and Offaly followers that have travelled the length and breadth of the country during the league, who have bought their season ticket and then to be just about offered a terrace ticket or for the vast majority nothing at all, is simply not good enough.
When it comes to promotion of hurling, the association needs to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
The Tuesday before the Division 4 final between Fermanagh and Louth, both managers were still in the dark where the national final was to be played. Flights home for some players, food and physio requirements couldn’t be confirmed days out from final. It was finally scheduled for St Mellan’s Park in Monaghan, but there was no fourth official on duty for the game.
Compare that to the Division 4 football final between Wexford and Limerick, a game where it was known months in advance that whoever reached the decider would be playing in Croke Park. Every player dreams of playing at GAA HQ at some stage of their lives.
The GAA cannot continue to talk about promoting hurling and then have such a contrast between both codes.
Some will say, 'ah sure the Nicky Rackard, Christy Ring and Lory Meagher are all in Croke Park’, but last time I checked so are all the senior football championship national finals at all levels so there’s no argument there.
What’s right for one code is right for both.
It’s not asking for the world to change, it’s just asking for some forward thinking and finding a slot to make this a reality.
Potentially it could be a festival of hurling on St. Patrick’s weekend in Croke Park, with the schools’ finals taking place before the Division 2, 3 and 4 hurling finals over the two days.
What an incentive that would be for a team setting out on their league journey next year in these divisions to have a crack at playing in Croke Park on Patrick’s weekend, but more importantly having a fixture to work towards.
I’ll park my ranting for now and just hope lessons will be learned from the last couple of weeks.
Now we get ready for the arrival of Christmas for hurling fans, the Munster Championship, while I think Leinster will be extra spicy this year too. Kilkenny and Galway are leading the pack, but the fight for that third spot between Antrim, Dublin, Offaly and Wexford will be enthralling. More on that next week.
Finally it was wonderful to be in Cork on Sunday to witness the ovation for those that were remembered before throw-in in the Cork and Tipp game.
Matt Hassett, a great warrior of the Blue and Gold who captained Tipperary to All-Ireland glory in 1961, the great Mick O’Dwyer who did it all and more as a player, a manager and a person and finally, the young Aoife Shelly who was from Clonakenny and played with the Moyne Templetuohy footballers who was taken way too early at just 22 years of age.
I read a beautiful quote about Aoife during the week, I was told that she mainly played around corner forward on teams and someone said, "Aoife was number 15 on the pitch but always number 1 in our hearts".
There was such respect and sadness as the applause rung right around the famous stadium.
It was once again a reminder for us all – live each day as best you can, fill those days with as much fun and laughter as you can because none of us know where or when our time will come.
May all their gentle souls rest in peace – the bed of heaven to them all now.
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Watch the Camogie League finals, Offaly v Derry and Cork v Galway, on Sunday from 12pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Follow a live blog on the Division 1 final on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
