KILLINAN END - Third successive final which requires more playing time

The 1959 All-Ireland hurling final between Waterford and Kilkenny stood in splendid isolation for more than half a century. It had been the first hurling final in 25 years to end in a draw, and not until 2013, when Clare and Cork ended level, was another replay necessary. Then by some strange element of chance with no rhyme nor reason we had three finals in a row requiring replays. The odds on any final ending in a draw is one thing, but it’d have been quite the stretch to envisage it happening for three consecutive years.

We are now looking at the same vista in Tipperary County finals. For the first time ever, it can be said that the County Senior hurling final was unable to produce a winner at the first attempt three years running. Two years ago, Kiladangan got past Loughmore/Castleiney only with a late goal in extra-time, while a year later their defeated opponents edged out Thurles Sarsfields in a great struggle that also needed an extra session to sort out.

Still, despite last years’ experience it was almost a novelty last Sunday to realise that a replay would be in order such is the normality of extra time across so many competitions. All the more interesting too considering that the withdrawal of Sky from GAA coverage is a direct result of the new competition structures and the fact that games are now being compressed into shorter time-frames.

It would be easy to throw out the standards about replays that, for example, they are won by the team that learns the most from the first day. No doubt that there is something in that from both a tactical and confidence perspective, but the trade-off makes you wonder.

Kiladangan will feel they might have played better and will likely do so in the replay, yet Kilruane are entitled to feel that they have put their stamp in proceedings and that the challenge of a first County final appearance for this generation was met with aplomb. Both teams can enter the fray with renewed confidence.

Yet, replays have so often defied logic and rational assessment. In 1975 Kilruane played in their first County final since 1959 against Moneygall. This too finished level in only the second drawn final in nearly half a century with a late late goal saving Kilruane from impending defeat. Often you hear the theory – unsubstantiated by evidence you would think – that the team that levels a game has some kind of psychological advantage in a replay.

Whatever happened between draw and replay in that year Moneygall showed little sense that they had taken a hit from that late intervention to whip the Dan Breen cup from their grasp. The replay ended up a runaway success from the team in Black and Red which has only been enhanced with the passage of time considering the gilt-edged reputation their opponents would establish in the following years.

It was a time of remarkable experiences for Kilruane when it came to such turnarounds so they might not have pondered for long on what happened. That same year’s County semi-finals saw Moneygall beat Moycarkey-Borris and in the other one Kilruane beat Silvermines. This denied the ‘Mines a second shot at a County final but it was its manner which raised eyebrows. In those days the County championship was a separate unconnected competition with not even a side entrance from the divisional championships to the County series.

A week before the County semi-final Kilruane and Silvermines had met in the North semi-final, with Silvermines as defending champions. Their five-point win looked routine enough and seemed very much to be in line with recent form and expectation. Just a week later the story could hardly have been more different with Silvermines well beaten in what ended up a very one-sided County semi-final. Yes, it was not a replay in the strict sense – there was no draw, and it was a different competition. You’d wonder if this changed the dynamic in any way. Did Silvermines take any worthwhile lessons out of a straightforward North semi-final? Were Kilruane productive with their homework ahead of their next meeting?

It's one thing having things to work on and wrinkles to iron out but it’s maybe a different challenge when things have gone your way. Yet, it does show the dramatic changes than can happen in a short time and how vulnerable a team can be to a whirlwind on the second day.

Replays can too see teams locked together briefly but going in different directions. In 1992, Thurles Sarsfields scored the last three points to level the game with a young Toomevara team in the County final. It compensated for what was not a great Thurles performance and might have sent to Blues home with a renewed sense of hope ahead of the replay. History has shown, however, that Sarsfields were still right in the middle of their period of wilderness, while Toomevara stood on the threshold of the club’s greatest era. How will we look back on this year’s County final in time to come?