MUNSTER SHC FINAL - ADARE v DE LA SALLE:IT'S ALL of 12 years since Mark Foley was named young hurler of the year after an energetic and tireless season with Limerick, as the county lost a second All-Ireland final in three years. The future looked bright for the young Adare wing back, but that wasn't how it turned out, writes Seán Moran

Turmoil, false dawns and the relentless passage of time filled the seasons until, eventually, this time as a veteran, Foley played in his second All-Ireland last year albeit to no happier a conclusion than in 1996. All the time he knuckled down in pursuit of better things and even in the worst of times his defiance shone.

Tomorrow afternoon in Thurles isn't a destination for him, but it would be a major achievement for his club Adare, who face Waterford champions De La Salle in the AIB Munster club final.

"I wouldn't say it was an outstanding ambition of mine starting out," he says of the provincial championship. "My main ambition would have been to win a county championship because Adare had been trying for 40 years before that and had been close on many, many occasions so that would have been the main aim. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to play in a Munster club final.

"The first couple of years we won our championship was our first time ever winning it so our focus wasn't really on Munster or doing anything in it. Sometimes teams get a boost and go on from that but I know we weren't that interested at the time."

Adare's progress wasn't entirely unexpected. Unlike last year they had time to recover from winning the county title and to prepare for the provincial championship. The preparation told and Toomevara, perennial Tipperary champions, were beaten. "The fact Toomevara have been winning championships in Tipp so regularly," says Foley, "means that they were probably setting their sights farther than that. They have very good pedigree so it was a nice scalp to get."

Limerick's barren spell in the club championship stretches back to the start of Foley's career. It's all of 14 years since Kilmallock emerged from the province only to go down to eventual All-Ireland winners Birr. It rounded off the county's most successful phase - seven years, 1988-94, in which all five of Limerick's club titles were won. "The last few successes Limerick teams had were all around the same period," says Foley, "which would suggest Limerick hurling was strong around that time. It's been a long time all right."

Adare's experience has eventually had an effect. Aware of the demands of the championship and no longer distracted by the achievement of winning the county, the club has adjusted better to the task this season, according to Foley.

"The main thing is to refocus and sometimes it can be hard to get fellas back down to earth. The fact that we hadn't been successful meant it was about time that we won a game anyway. We hadn't played to our potential this year so I think fellas were keen to express themselves a bit more."

There's been a fair deal of speculation about Foley's intercounty career and he says he has yet to make up his mind. New manager Justin McCarthy's accession in Limerick creates the temptation to persevere and in the natural break an opportunity to call it a day. "It's definitely been a long year. We're training nearly 12 months without any real break.

"It can be difficult to maintain the hunger - not the hunger to play games, to keep going to training on a Tuesday night or a Thursday night. It can be difficult this time of the year.

"I can understand why that has a negative effect. As to whether it will be with me we'll have to wait until the new year to find out. Normally you might have had four or six weeks of a break, but this year we're still going. It's tough."

He's not affected as long as Adare are active in the championship, but Foley supports the GAA's move to protect the close season for players in November and December. "I do. I'm not so sure about preparation but as regards games, I don't think it benefits anyone to be playing hurling at this time of the year. It's a game for the summer and a totally different game."

He's not sure of the impact on the county team of any success Adare might have outside of the county, but progress is progress.

"In terms of comparison they're poles apart. Intercounty is light years ahead and the pace is so much faster. It can help. The main thing is it gives confidence to players. It's one step on the ladder, but there are a lot more steps after that."

Tomorrow represents a couple of rungs.