An unbelievable passage of play.
An passionate Noel McGrath summed it up better than anybody else could in his interview just after Tipperary and Cork’s thrilling draw in Semple Stadium on Sunday.
“That’s Munster hurling at its finest there. That’s what we grew up watching. That’s what we love to be involved in, that’s what everyone thrives on.”
That was Munster hurling at its very best in Thurles. There was an epic comeback, incredible scores, character, courage and fight. There were obituaries written, there were hearts racing.
By the game’s end, both Tipperary and Cork supporters were so addled by everything they’d seen that the draw almost seemed like an anti-climax.
But after a few minutes, and as the dust settled, they were all surely appreciating the amazing sporting occasion they had just witnessed.
The skill on show, from Patrick Horgan’s effortless points, John and Noel McGrath’s style and grace, Shane Kingston’s pace and Mark Coleman’s freestyle hurling was something else.
Then there was Darragh Fitzgibbon. The young Charleville schemer is quickly establishing himself as one of hurling’s most effective, elegant midfielders.
Last weekend, he darted through the Clare defence to destructive effect, scoring three wonderful points and leaving the Banner boys staring at his elusive heels.
On Sunday in Thurles, he was similarly prominent in the middle third. Hounding the breaking ball, his delivery of ball into the Cork forwards was fizzed and dangerous.
On top of this all-round industry, the 20-year-old also almost scored one of the great hurling points, which, were it not for the gargantuan efforts of Tipperary’s impressive new keeper Brian Hogan, would be replayed on GAA highlight reels for years.
The UCC student leapt like a salmon to claw a skyscraper from the Thurles clouds above marker Billy McCarthy.
Like a gazelle, he put the foot down and breezed past three Tipperary challengers with all the acceleration of a seasoned sprinter.
With Paudie Maher lining up to poleaxe him, Fitzgibbon delightfully flicked the sliotar over the big man’s head while selling a deceptive dummy and holding his balance at the same time.
He improvised to the two catches he had already taken, striking for a point off the hurl.
He had the accuracy. He had the distance, so it looked. The Cork crowd in the old stand behind him went buck mad as Fitzgibbon wheeled away.
Brian Hogan in the Tipperary goals had different ideas, and he denied the wonder score with a giant leap and a solid paw.
It would have been one of the great scores were it not for Hogan’s tremendous athelticism.
Leaving Semple Stadium on Sunday, that was what most spectators wanted to re watch. It didn’t make it to the Sunday Game highlights.
