An opinion on the hurling - This time around, due to the machinations of the fluid fixture list, I was afforded the opportunity of attending both hurling semi-finals. That is a first for this column. The Cork footballers opened the weekend nicely and their hurlers obliged a day later. Mayo and Laois provided the curtain raiser last week and fans from both counties were then treated to a pulsating game of hurling between Kilkenny and Clare. Thus I am in a much better position this year to pick the winner having watched them in the flesh. Will it make any difference - are you joking me? First though, a quick review of the season in general. Many neutrals wanted/expected Waterford or Clare to have a big say and the truth is they did. Both reached the semi-finals and both gave it a real shot. In the end, Waterford lost by a single point and Clare had a similar gap in their game as I raced for the car to affect a quick getaway. By the time I reached the vehicle the margin was more substantial but nobody can argue the Bannermen threw in the towel early. Yet, it has been a season, similar to the football, which never really fired. It threatened, and by times we felt the heat of the odd flame but alas, no bonfire roared. Instead, we have had to make do with rows about the sliotar, the puck out, bear testimony to possibly the golden era of hurling goalkeepers and watch Henry Shefflin shoot the lights out each day he togged. The performances of players such as Davy Fitzgerald (Clare), Brendan Cummins (Tipp), Donal Og Cussack (Cork) and to a lesser extent (simply because his defence is so good) James McGarry from Kilkenny have been outstanding. Each week that passed seemed to raise the bar and then we had the Cork goalkeeper put the art form on a new and higher plane during the Waterford game. The final promises more of the same and the afore-mentioned McGarry, despite the warriors in front of him, can expect a little more action. The controversy about the puck out amuses me. Like many aspects concerning rules and regulations in hurling, officials, observers and commentators tend to close their eyes as if any type of close examination concerning playing rules should be confined to the big ball game. You doubt me? Look at aggressive fouling, dangerous play and use of the hurl during many of the big games. Look at John Carroll at the end of the All-Ireland quarter-final versus Waterford. The referee (Barry Kelly from Westmeath, more anon) or his officials did not deem the incident to be outside the rulebook. Ahem! Back to the puck out. The referee must blow his whistle to restart a game, ergo, he is in total command of this aspect of set play. He either enforces it (as he is bound to do by rule) or he ignores it! Simple enough really. At any rate why do goalkeepers gamble on the referee pulling him up and awarding a 65 m free for the infringement when the advantage gained is, well, no advantage at all? Can somebody out there cogently argue that an extra single metre on the puck out confers a serious advantage? Hit the ball in the small rectangle and be done with it. Now to the sliotar. Dear me. Have you ever attended such a turf war in all your life? An elite sport, played at elite level, cannot agree on the type of ball to be used. Remember the row over the rugby ones all those years ago? The bigger French one, the slimmer South African one? Question: does the sliotar conform to regulations? If the answer is yes, then it's fine whether Cummins, O'Neill or Ring himself came back from the dead and manufactured them. We now have men in white coats out in DCU, armed with scales and callipers as they weigh, measure and finally stamp the ball that will make an appearance down the road on September the third. God forbid a rogue ball (without the stamp) is introduced surreptitiously and ends up in the back of the Kilkenny net. Worse if it ends up in the Cork net and Frank gets the rulebook out! A few words on the final itself. It really is the 21st century hurling equivalent of the Ali v Frazier fight. The biggest and best clash, with Cork looking for the three in a row. On semi-final form it appears to me there is nothing between both teams. When matters of fitness, focus and fight are more or less equal, skill wins out. It seems to me the two great powers of the game never lose sight of that principle and thus here we have them, once again, hurling for the title. Surely the match will be decided by moments of brilliance and moments of bravery? Or perhaps a single decision from the referee? Close finals inevitably end up as a random collection of bounces, breaks and bad luck and these great finals are very often balanced on the edge waiting for the gentlest touch to sway the argument. If anything, Cork and Kilkenny, like the season itself, have yet to hit their highest notes. The hope must be they do and then we'll have a final to remember. And if the standard disappoints, be sure the contest itself will not as two teams will fight for every ball, every inch as if their lives really do depend on the next sliotar in the locality. The man who might be king maker is on the Kilkenny team and with a scoring return of 2 goals and 39 points in four games this year, Henry Shefflin tends to put 11 points or so behind his name. It is unlikely he will get to that total in this particular final but the chances are he will make a crucial contribution. Kilkenny then, by two points. A final sentence or two on the match referee, Barry Kelly from Westmeath. This appointment is a superb achievement and demonstrates that talent can surface to the top when matched by fitness, knowledge and commitment. I understand his father acted as an umpire in the 1976 All Ireland football final (Paddy Collins as referee that day) so it is in the blood as they say. This column wishes him the best of luck - may all his calls be the right ones and may he remember to restart play each time by a shrill blast of the whistle! Tweet

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