All-Ireland club hurling final / Portumna 2-8  Newtownshandrum 1-6: Given the arctic wind blowing across Croke Park it was no harm the Portumna players got to do their lap of honour indoors.

Having collected the club's first All-Ireland club trophy, team captain Eugene McEntee led his team under the Hogan Stand and through the long tunnel back to their dressingroom under the Cusack Stand.

Out on the pitch the supporters were still in a frenzied dance, probably just trying to warm up. So in the quiet solitude of the stadium tunnel the players could finally embrace in peace and savour the feeling of a dream come true.

McEntee epitomises the spirit of Portumna, having overcome a serious back injury to captain the team at full back. Yet his first thoughts were with two absent players, Keith Hayes and Joe O'Meara. "We had their pictures on the dressingroom door," he said. "We all had a good look at them coming out for the second half. They were both former minors, and both killed in car accidents. So you don't need any more adrenaline when you see things like that."

Portumna in fact looked to be in a little trouble at half-time, when Newtownshandrum clawed back their early lead.

"Well, we were still three points up," added McEntee, "so we knew it was going to take a bigger effort from them to stop us. We still felt we wanted it more than them.

"It was a swirling wind that the ball was coming and going. So it just never flowed. We said it at half-time, just to let the ball go and keep it simple. So we didn't mess around after that."

What ultimately closed out the win was the calm free taking of Joe Canning, who defied his youthful 17 years with a remarkably composed display. Yet, that was no surprise to McEntee: "He was as calm as a breeze out there, just so ready for it . . . He'll the be next DJ, the next Henry Shefflin . . . the next sensation for the GAA."

The captain has also been busy organising the celebrations, and along with Frankie Canning booked a holiday for 50 of the team members; they leave for the Canaries next Saturday. "If we drew out there we'd have 50 lads ready to shoot me. So that was extra pressure for me as well."

One player only marginally less excited than McEntee was Ollie Canning, who although clearly hoarse did his best to express his feelings: "I can say now that for any hurling career this is the peak. Just getting to Croke Park on St Patrick's Day is what it's all about, but winning it is unbelievable.

"I'm just really happy for all the people that played with this club over the years, and just weren't lucky enough to win anything big. I'm just lucky to be involved with the great bunch of lads we have now."

Newtownshandrum manager Bernie O'Connor was philosophical: "If we were told this morning Portumna would only score 2-8 we'd have said we'd win easy. But on the day it didn't happen for us. So we'll take it on the chin, reorganise things, and move forward.

"We were far short of what we're capable of, and we'll come back to win another Cork championship. That's our priority now."