1. The weather:

Storm Ciara blew at her most vicious as soon as the game started and only those with hearts made of granite wouldn’t have felt some level of sympathy for the players.

2. The pitch:

Given what arrived on our shores the night before and again yesterday, Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s new pitch looked magnificent and stood up brilliantly to the challenge.

3. Cork’s maturity:

This was best illustrated in the first-half with the wind at their backs. There was no aimless lumping of the ball instead, this Cork side remained patient and composed.