Crusheen and Eire Og won’t forget yesterday for some time and neither will the hundreds of supporters who got royally soaked in their viewing of the senior and intermediate finals.
To say that Cusack park was more like Eden park during yesterday’s senior game will almost do a disservice to the rugby pitch in New Zealand.
There is no doubt that conditions were dangerous for the players and the games were spolied by the weather.
Crusheen emerged from a mudbath smelling of roses due to their win but Sixmilebridge will surely think that if it had been a drier day then they would have performed much better .
Yesterday was a test of first touch,skill and desire to win-as well as having players who knew exactly what had to be done to win.
Sixmilebridge may have won several underage titles but their starting 15 yesterday was seriously lacking in senior hurling title winning experience-unlike Crusheen.
In the space of 10 minutes during the second half Crusheen moved up the gears and tore a hole in the Bridge rearguard,notching up five points which were to prove a huge nail in the Bridge coffin.
The game decended into rucks at several stages during the 60 minutes but more often than not it was a man in red that emerged with the ball.
The match also raised once again the debate about playing a county final in October.
Sure,Kilkenny has theirs on Sunday also but that is no excuse,the 10 week summer break must once again be looked at and the 20 team format,which is not working will also have to be revisited.
But for Eire og and Crusheen it will not matter this week at least-both sides can look forward to a Munster campaign and who knows where it may take them.
Howver,efforts must be made to ensure that the 2012 hurling season does not end in such circumstances as witnessed on Sunday
