James Stephens 0-19 Athenry 0-14: These occasions are a little different but some things never change. After the final whistle Brian Cody walked on to the Croke Park turf to embrace his son Donnacha who had just won the trophy which his father first won playing with the same club many years ago.
The warming sight of the Cody family succession brought with it a reminder too. March. The first significant hurling final of the year goes to a fresh-faced Kilkenny team. What will the rest of the year hold?
As for the vanquished, well, an aged team is but a paltry thing. Athenry, who have walked tall in this competition for the best part of a decade, were left stooped and winded yesterday as James Stephens claimed the Tommy Moore Cup for Kilkenny for the the first time in 14 years.
James Stephens played with a tightness and communality of purpose befitting a club more popularly known as The Village. They were a few years younger than Athenry, they had more of an edge to their appetite and they squeezed more out of their senior citizens.
Eoin Larkin, still sprightly and eligible for the under-21 grade, was named man of the match but much consideration should have been given to his distant cousin Philly Larkin whose display at centre back was wonderful, encompassing as it did not just the eclipse of his own man but a display of wise covering and backing up which typified the general excellence of the Kilkenny side's defence.
In there, too, making himself deserving of garlands was Peter Barry who shackled Joe Rabbitte so effectively that when the big Galway man scored a point in the dying seconds it was a surprise to see that Barry had somehow become detached from him.
James Stephens took an early lead and apart from a brief period in the first half they never trailed. The game was wrapped up during a four-minute period in the second half when, with James Stephens two points ahead, Eoin McCormack was awarded a slightly generous penalty which Eoin Larkin casually pointed.
McCormack may have felt that his sufferings, such as they were, deserved a goal. We'll never know but for the next three minutes McCormack couldn't have stayed out of the way of the sliotar if he had gone in for an early shower. One point. Two points. Three points. Suddenly there was a seven-point margin between the sides with as many minutes to go.
If Athenry needed confirmation it wasn't to be their afternoon it came quickly. Donal Moran burst through looking for the goal his side required. Philly Larkin coolly took the ball off his stick and processed it forward.
That was the pattern of the final minutes. Athenry, suddenly fanatical about the idea of goals, displaying belated fervour but little wisdom. They drove the ball low and hard again and again. And every time a James Stephens stick or body was thrown in the path of the ball. And when for once Athenry got right through and presented David Donohue with a snap chance, Francis Cantwell in goal for The Village was equal to it.
It was a curiously muted performance from Athenry. Eugene Cloonan, who looked to be somewhat on his blow, was imprisoned inside at full forward for long periods when Athenry needed some more bustle out the field. Rabbitte, toiling in the shadow of Barry, might have presented some height under a dropping ball on the edge of the square but he was restricted to a subsidiary role out on the wing.
Of course Eoin Larkin has been the sensation of the James Stephens winter campaign scoring 3-24 before yesterday (when he added another 0-8). For an hour yesterday he made Brian Feeney feel his age. Athenry came to Croke Park knowing that snuffing out Larkin was a necessity. Instead his team thrived around him.
In fact what impressed for James Stephens in the end was the democratic nature of the attack. Larkin did much damage - and but for a tendency to hold on to the ball a shade too long would have done more - but the full-forward line in front of him scored seven points from play. Given the average age of the James Stephens forwards was less than 22 the maturity of their play was at times a wonder.
On that day in Thurles 29 years ago when James Stephens first won this grand competition and Brian Cody was a young man Fan Larkin was captain and was enjoying a renaissance late in his career. His son, the third generation to play with The Village, is enjoying a fine Indian summer himself and when it was all over he stood in the middle of the pitch holding his own child to his chest as the celebrations swirled around him. That sort of day. That sort of competition.
JAMES STEPHENS: F Cantwell; D Cody, M Phelan, D Grogan; J Tyrell, P Larkin, P Barry; P O'Brien (0-1), B McEvoy; J Murphy (0-1), E Larkin (0-9, 6f and 1 pen ), G Whelan; E McCormack (0-5), R Hayes (0-1), D McCormack (0-2). Sub: J Murray for J Murphy (61 mins).
ATHENRY: M Crimmins; T Kelly, P Hardiman, J Feeney; B Higgins (0-1), B Feeney, S Donohue; L Howley, B Hanley (0-1, sideline cut); J Rabbitte (0-1), MJ Quinn (0-1), E Caulfield; D Moran (0-2), E Cloonan (0-6, five frees), D Donohue (0-2). Subs: D Burns for E Caulfield (36 mins), D Carroll for B Hanley (48 mins), C O'Donovan for S Donohoe (59 mins)
Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).
