Thousands were converging on Croke Park for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final between Cork and Clare on Sunday afternoon, spilling into surrounding streets and public houses and carrying various levels of optimism about their respective counties’ chance.
A clammy Jones’ Road was a pulse of red and blue-and-yellow activity, punters trying to fit it all in before throw-in – sorting a spare last-minute ticket, finding the nearest bar to quench nerves with cider or making time for a quick reunion.
Summing it all up, Pat Keane, from Sixmilebridge in Co Clare, said: “Today, as somebody said, it’s like Christmas Day for hurlers.”
Opinions on Jones’ Road were split on Cork’s stunning semi-final victory over Limerick earlier this month – denying the Treaty County a chance to make it five All-Irelands in a row – and how it might have a bearing on Sunday’s match.
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Sean Murphy, from Youghal, leans against a hatchback, denim jacket over his Cork jersey. “We’re overdue [an All-Ireland], that’s the truth. Especially when you beat the favourite twice, in the one year... we have to push on,” he said.
“We’re due one. It would be wicked if we would lose three in a row, wouldn’t it? That’s not on.”
For a hurling stronghold like Cork, has it been hard for the people of the Rebel County, to go 19 years without a title? “It’s hard for me, I can tell you. I haven’t too many years left,” Mr Murphy said.
[ Cork v Clare live updates: All-Ireland hurling finalOpens in new window ]
But Flan Lynch had other ideas. “The way we think is,” Mr Lynch, from Sixmilebridge said, “they won their All-Ireland beating Limerick.”
In the Higgins family from Lissycasey, Co Clare, loyalties are split. Joe, originally from Wilton in Cork City, was wearing red, and his wife, Lorraine in blue and yellow, still in good spirirts some two hours before throw-in.
“We’ll get revenge for 2013, won’t we,” Joe said, looking down to his son Harry – wearing a half Cork, half Clare jersey – who obliges. “Yep.”
Lorraine was at the All-Ireland final replay in Croke Park in 2013, when Shane O’Donnell put Cork to the sword and scored 3-3, helping the Banner on their way to securing their fourth-ever All-Ireland title. “He was in my belly in 2013,” she said, pointing to Harry.
Paul Higgins, from Ballingcollig, Co Cork, was on Sunday afternoon still waiting to find out if he’d be at the All-Ireland final. Standing on North Circular Road with a hastily-made placard pleading for spares, he was confident about the Rebel County’s chances.
“Against Limerick, they found what it’s like to beat them, beat the [All-Ireland champions], and they want to be up there,” he said.
His chances of nabbing a ticket, however, were “very slim”. “Slim and slimmer by the second,” said his wife, Teresa.
Leaving aside feverish predictions, the sense of occasion was palpable among those lucky enough to have a ticket. “The atmosphere and the environment, you wouldn’t get that in Premiership game, or you wouldn’t get it at any other sporting event,” Mr Higgins, from Wilton, said.
“Especially with 80,000 plus people in there, like the semi-final was unbelievable against Limerick.
“Hopefully it’s a repeat today, we get the same calibre of hurling. May the best team win, and hopefully that’s the red team coming out,” he added.
“Everyone’s on a high,” Mr Lynch said.
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