Thanks for reading the odd time over the last 10 years – a decade of magical moments and devastating disappointments too.

It’s been emotional.

Until the next cartoon…

I first came across him in the 1981 Guinness Book of Records, and the photo capturing his courage stuck in my mind’s eye.

One of many to watch: brilliant Junior Cert student Stephen Bennett takes on Limerick’s Barry O’Connell during Saturday’s classic Munster Championship semi-final in Walsh Park, in which Waterford pulled through strongly in extra-time to set up a repeat of last year’s final against holders Clare – the curtain-raiser to Sunday week’s senior showpiece at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. | Photo: Michael Kiely

Watching Waterford’s minor hurlers in full early flow, then stoutly stave off an anticipated Limerick fightback in Walsh Park to qualify for a third successive Munster final at this level, you realised just how far we’ve come in these past lucky thirteen years.

Though by no means the finished article, these boys are going to go places. The standard on Saturday was unbelievably high: as good if not better than most senior stuff you’ll see on any given summer’s evening.

Scanning the internet for an alternative audio feed, I tuned into Clare and Tipp FMs’ commentaries, both of which had a semi-‘D’Unbelievables’ quality (going to prove how lucky we are to have Kieran O’Connor.)

The ‘Next Tiger Woods’ tag has been dangling awkwardly around the young Ulsterman’s neck since his teens, and his insouciance in enjoying that billing tended to grate a tad. He seemed in too much of a hurry. But having the travails of Georgia on his mind looks like being the best thing that ever happened him. Good things come to those who wait – albeit only a couple of months in his case.

It’s obvious from the Tyrone boss’s unconvincing explanation that Carthy had complained to his friends on the sideline that he felt hard done-by in not getting the main matches on radio after Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh retired.

O’Shea’s place in Fergie’s scheme of things has been written off several times in his 13 years at United. A model pro, his boss recently described him as “an unsung hero”, citing his willingness to wait his chance, something he’s always appreciated.

Mullane as sketched by charcoal artist David Hennessy whose exhibition ‘Faces of Waterford’ is running in the Index Gallery at the City Library, Lady Lane until June 25th

Sickened but not sore, Donal O’Grady said in the immediate aftermath that his philosophy has always been the better team is the one with the winning score. Well, for all Waterford’s admirable resilience, character and efficiency, Sunday’s outcome at Semple Stadium must have put that particular belief system to the test.

Shaking off the cobwebs gathered during a season in Division 2, Limerick grew into the game with a gusto unimaginable under another Corkman and were clearly the better side in the second 35-plus minutes, as well as in the four at the end of the first half.