The goodwill for Limerick was in abundance yesterday. Golden Vale was wishing them luck, the ticket touts from Clare were shouting for them, and even the sailors on board the Lebanese merchant ship, Rami-M, in Cork harbour raised a green-and-white flag. The knife-edge two-point gap which saw Tipperary through must have been enough for Canadian lighting technician Peter LaRocque, who had paid £90 for a stand ticket in a fit of pre-match enthusiasm.
Describing the carnival-like atmosphere, he said it was a once in a lifetime chance.
"I might never go again. I am here once in my whole life. I have seen professional baseball, professional football, Canadian football. I saw hurling last year on television and this is the top of the game."
The touts, meanwhile, had bought up their tickets on Saturday for £40 each. They sold stand tickets at up to £150 and terrace ones for £100. "The Tipperary people will not pay, the Limerick people will," the man from east Clare said.
"I just want to get rid of the tickets, have a few pints, watch the match in the pub and enjoy myself, and hopefully Limerick will win."
It was not to be, however. With less than 10 minutes to go and the teams level again, a relentless Tipperary side widened the gap for the last time, leaving a final score of 2-16 to Limerick's 1-17. Post-match commentary was philosophical at best. "Tipperary ran the show in the second half," one Limerick fan said. "They gave it away in the end," another said of his side. "The game is over now, we will enjoy the evening," a third remarked before discussion turned to the chances of getting through by the "back door".