Offaly

Ever needed an excuse to paint that rusty lamp-post? Ever thought that green and gold were the best colours to paint a pub? All over the town of Birr yesterday, people were asking what they could do for their county. The hurling team had got into another All-Ireland final, albeit through the back door, and no suggestion for appreciation appeared to go unheard.

This is the heart of hurling country. Trawl a net around the town's 12-mile radius and it would catch almost the entire Offaly team. Six of tomorrow's starting 15 were born and raised here - the others not far away - and none more celebrated than the Whelahan brothers.

Searching for the Whelahan pub doesn't take much effort. Just off the town's Emmet Square, the B. Whelehan - B for Brian, the eldest of the three brothers - looks somewhat out of tune in red and dark green. But they are the club colours of Birr, All-Ireland club champions more times that anyone can remember.

Outside Dooly's Hotel, the homecoming for Monday evening is already being plugged. A little premature, perhaps, but not when Offaly have been written off by everyone outside the county. Remember what they said last month before the Cork match?

The last one out tomorrow has been told to lock up the town behind them. Except for the back-door, of course. That might be tempting fate for next year.