Tooreen beaten at the death in epic All-Ireland final

ALL IRELAND CLUB IHC FINAL

Upperchurch Drumbane (Tipperary) 4-20

Tooreen (Mayo) 2-24

(1-17 to 0-20 at end of normal time)

WHERE does one find words for this?

There have been epic Mayo performances in Croke Park over the years - roller-coasters of emotion which took observers to the extremities of elation and devastation, but I'm not sure there has ever been anything like the epic played out on the sacred this afternoon.

First things first - Tooreen have no All-Ireland title with them on the bus home, they have no medals to cherish for the rest of time, but they have everything else. That wonderful band of blue have honour, respect, pride and every positive emotion one can bestow upon them.

That will be of little use to Ray Larkin, his squad and management team this evening, but that's what they earned in Croke Park today.

The first 25 minutes were poor. They trailed by seven, 0-9 to 0-2, and one began to think that maybe the Tipperary men were better, maybe they were just building up a head of steam and would eventually cruise home. How wrong we were.

Bobby Douglas, the goalkeeper scored a fabulous point from under the Hogan Stand and it lit the torch. By half time they were just one behind. Nine minutes into the second half they were three up. Then a Tipperary goal balanced it again. However, the men in blue powered on and with time up they led by a point.

The camera men gathered behind Ray Larkin to capture the moment of ultimate glory, but Gavin Ryan sent over a long range free with the final puck of normal time to level it. 

Extra time was needed. It went badly for Tooreen. They were ten points down with time almost up. We were gathering our things in the press-box, but we should have had more sense. Tooreen never stop. Goals from Liam Lavin and David Harrison and a point from Fionn Delaney left a goal in it.

Lavin had a sniff of an equalising goal and should have been awarded a penalty but Upperchurch-Drumbane survived. Then, Tooreen had one last half-chance, the ball arrived in the hands of Fergal Boland. He shot for the net from distance but it cleared the bar and the dream was over - for now!

In the press-box we just looked on in awe. There is no team on the entire planet like Tooreen. They may not have have the cup, they may not have the medals, but they have everything else. The dream isn't over, it's only deferred.