All-Ireland Club Hurling Semi-final Toomevara v AthenrySeán Moran on the Tipperary club's prospects for success this year

The bald statistic that Toomevara have reaped only two Munster club hurling titles from nine Tipperary county championships may be a source of some irritation but it's unfair on the team that takes on Athenry this afternoon in the first AIB All-Ireland club hurling semi-final to burden them with some sort of continuum of failure.

It's 11 years since Toomevara reached their one and only club final when they lost late in the day to an inspired display from Joe Cooney, who dragged Sarsfields of Galway to a then unprecedented back-to-back All-Irelands.

Of today's side only three players, Tony Delaney, Tommy and Terry Dunne, survive from that afternoon. In the interim there have been close calls, particularly in 1998 and '99 when the club reached two Munster finals only to lose to St Joseph's Doora-Barefield, who became the only team in the past 25 years to retain that provincial title.

Toomevara are also only the second Tipp club to raise their heads at this level since the halcyon days of 1986 and '87 when Kilruane and Borrisoleigh won All-Ireland titles.

It's not a great record for one of hurling's traditional "big three" counties although it's only in recent years that Cork and Kilkenny representatives have been doing any better. Tom Ryan, formerly Limerick's and currently Westmeath's manager, coached Toomevara to the finals of 1998 and '99. His views are characteristically forthright.

"The hurling scene at club level is mediocre enough and not up to the standards of a traditional hurling county. There's a complex system in place with divisional championships feeding into each other and a league competition involved as well. Toomevara have always been able to work the system, which in fairness benefits the best team.

"They have an aura about them that intimidates other teams who seem to feel they're unbeatable before going out to play Toomevara and end up psyching themselves out. It will probably take a new team, young, speedy and with no inhibitions to stop them.

"North Tipp is a hot bed of hurling. When you travel around there you see loads of little fellas out with their hurleys. The under-age is strong there and it's the only game apart from a bit of rugby around Nenagh. It's nearly a county in itself."

He is just one of a number of high-profile managers who have tried their hand at Toomevara. Limerick manager Pad Joe Whelahan, Seán Stack and present incumbent Seán Hehir, both from Clare, and Offaly's triple All-Ireland winner Joe Dooley, who lasted less than a season, are others.

Ryan is realistic about being unable to go the extra step in his two years at the club.

"Doora Barefield were at their peak and just that bit better but we were only an average side. I think they have a better team now, particularly in the forwards."

Perhaps surprisingly he has his reservations about the whole championship.

"I don't think it's produced any startling hurling for the past few years and I can see it going the way of the Railway Cup. I think it's having a detrimental effect on the counties involved because the players are worn out after a club run. You'll always get exceptions like Newtownshandrum last year but generally it means hurling too long without a break."

There's evidence both ways on how influential the club championship is for counties. On the one hand Newtownshandrum played a significant role in Cork's ultimate success but over the past 10 years Birr and Athenry have between them won seven All-Irelands - an unprecedented duopoly - and only once, in 1998, did the Liam McCarthy follow on.

But the appeal of the championship is undiminished with the crowds taking even the GAA by surprise.

Anyway it would be argued that the championship is essentially an outlet for the unheralded club players, whose only opportunity it is to share the spotlight on a national stage.

There's certainly no doubting its appeal in Toomevara. Within Tipperary it has been noticed that the club's attitude has been different this year. According to one rival coach: "They've had a miserable record outside the county and people were always slagging them because of it.

"They've been stung by this but also they've been more focused and their county players have been better rested (after Tipp's earliest championship exit in over five years). All this year they've been putting in a do-or-die effort."

That was particularly noticeable in last November's Munster final against Mount Sion. The Waterford side were strongly favoured but faltered with the finishing line in sight.

Toomevara somehow found an unanswered 1-4 in the last 11 minutes to whip the prize from under the Waterford side's noses.

It was noticeable at the press conference for captains on Monday that captain Paddy O'Brien referred stoically to the club's baggage: "We get reminded about that an awful lot - not having an All-Ireland."

With that prize and all its attendant silverware and bragging rights only two matches away, Toomevara know they're close.

Their former manager is optimistic.

"We found it very difficult to get over the Munster final," says Tom Ryan of the 1998-99 team. "We hadn't the ammunition up front to beat the Doora-Barefield backs.

"Now they're younger, faster with a good bit of talent. If Athenry don't close them down they'll be in big trouble. Toomevara have also had a bit of luck as the Munster final showed and that can stand to a team. Their tails are up having won playing poorly."

Within that ample room for improvement lies even greater possibilities.