The margins between success and failure in any walk of life can be tiny. In business successful entrepreneurs often remark that you need to fail lots, take your learnings and then fail better en route to your ultimate success. The margins in sport are similarly tiny. Take that upright that was the difference between Bubbles O'Dwyer's winning point in last years drawn All Ireland Senior Hurling final. Kilkenny went on to win it. And that's what the Cats are good at. Grinding out a result. Similarly tight margins sent Clare into Allianz League Division 1B. You would imagine if the Banner had put in such passionate displays earlier in the season they wouldn't have found themselves in a relegation dog fight.
In the end it was Cillian Buckley's last minute point that gave Kilkenny the win. With the likes of Michael and Colin Fennelly back in addition to TJ Reid, Davy's side were always going to be up against it in Nowlan Park. That being said the form of Shane O'Donnell and the general manner of the performance after all that's gone on around the hills of Crusheen in recent weeks, must surely encourage Clare fans about the possibilities ahead in 2015.
Cork senior hurlers have set up an Allianz League semi final meeting with Dublin,
9-unanswered points helped them to an 18-points to 14 win over Wexford to set up a semi final that sees Ger Cunningham pit his wits against former team mate Jimmy Barry Murphy.
The other last-4 encounter will see Tipperary face Waterford.
The premier will be without Seamus Callanan for that tie - he found the net, but also saw red late-on in their 1-16 to 0-13 win over Offaly in Tullamore.
These are games that will whet the appetite for the summer ahead. Unlike their big ball counterparts with several critical of the 8 points to 4 victory of Dublin over Derry on Saturday night. Hard to believe it was 3 points to 2 in favour of Derry at half time.
And just 4 points all with 10 minutes to go.
Derry v Dublin tonight at Croke Park. The death of Gaelic football.
— Jarlath Burns (@jburns834) March 28, 2015
All of which must make hurling seem like the most exciting game in the world for any of the Croke Park attendance from Saturday night attending Gaelic Games for the first time.
It was all so different in bygone days when the term 'Blanket Defence' meant something you brought with you on match day to keep the elements at bay.
What would some of the game's greats make of the carry on? And more to the point if you had the chance to involve a dream team mate in your county team who would it be?
Some inter county stars have been answering that very question.
Surely once the weather improves so too will the standard of footballing fare?!
