Kilkenny exorcise past-ghosts with an overwhelming spirit

Great teams do not crash. Kilkenny came to Croke Park yesterday facing the demons of recent September history and expelled them all, shooting those ghosts to ribbons.

Five times they singed the Offaly netting, each goal as searing and plain as a redemption cry.

After the last two years of sorrow on All-Ireland final days, Kilkenny hit a perfect note and levelled their neighbours on a scoreline of 5-15 to 1-14. Offaly, ever the wonderful gamblers, knew from early on that this game was up.

"We went up to blow everyone out of Croke Park today and that's what we did," John Power said afterwards.

And so they hurled as if in a composed fury, on fire from the first whistle. Serious troubles loomed for Offaly as early as the sixth minute.

Philly Larkin, diminutive and unbeatable all day, let fly with a long, arcing ball for the Offaly full back to contend with.

The opposing trio gathered under it and eyed it like it was a descending meteorite. Niall Claffey assumed control and bobbled the catch. The one man on earth he didn't want near him was hovering. DJ time.

Carey snapped up the invite and held the stadium spellbound as he rapped another wonderful goal. Up 1-2 to no score, the goal rush had started.

As the hour wore on, it became apparent that Kilkenny's thirst would be relentless. The celebrated front-trio of Charlie Carter, DJ and Henry Shefflin shimmered with easy menace, all clearly hell-bent on hitting the back of the net.

Shefflin rifled low and accurate in the ninth minute and, although Niall Claffey half-scrambled the ball off the line, DJ made sure of the goal. Later, he insisted the goal belonged to his colleague. "Henry doesn't score very many so I better give him that."

Why not? There were plenty more on offer. Offaly hurled into the maelstrom with typical resolution, hanging in there, waiting for the half-chance.

But, just as they seemed to be making sense of things, mainly through the marksmanship of captain Johnny Dooley, Kilkenny plundered their last line again, with DJ bursting from the pack after a throw-in and shooting from the hip yet again.

Stephen Byrne, the Offaly man facing the torrent, got timber to it, but this time Charlie was there to unwrap the gift. It was 3-8 to 0-7 at the break.

"No matter what sort of team came out in the second half, they weren't going to hurl that back," observed John Power.

So it went. We learned things about this Kilkenny team yesterday. They speak little, but have great stories to tell. Willie O'Connor hurled for most of the match with broken ribs.

John Power was back swashbuckling and brilliant two years after reckoning his days and black and amber were done. And all season, it was asked if DJ had it in him on the great days.

So gods do not answer letters? 1-4 from play, even if the second goal is credited to Shefflin.

"All this talk about DJ and the rest in All-Ireland finals . . . you're askin' me, but who do ye think is the best hurler you've ever seen is? Answer that if you like," mused Brian Cody afterwards. "Hurling should thank God for him."

Offaly, blindfolded and against the wall in the second half, went for one last glorious stand.

John Troy came in, stirring the faithful in the stands. Brian Whelahan moved up to the front ranks to try and conjure up the heroics of '98.

Johnny Dooley hurled on imperturbably. Memorably, Joe Errity thundered forward and his courage inflamed his team-mates.

Johnny Pilkington cracked home a goal in a crowd after 58 minutes and, even though they trailed by 1-11 to 4-12, their instinct came alive. There are few sights more stirring than this wild bunch charging against the odds.

As ever, their efforts revolved around swift ground stroking and perfect touches. Even yesterday, they made us gasp. Who will ever forget Johnny Pilkington, his team down 1-11 to 4-12, playing a pass through his own legs? Some genius you just can't suppress.

But no team can win them all, not even Offaly. Kilkenny didn't blink and rode out the brief rebellion. Peter Barry picked up where he left off last September.

Eamon Kennedy settled into his crucial centre-half berth magnificently. Willie was Willie, fiery and street-smart. They kept the ball flowing one way.

"Every time that we tried to come back at them, they seemed to get a goal," sighed Michael Duignan when it was over.

"That's what killed us but that's what Kilkenny have a name for."

All-Ireland titles are what Kilkenny have a name for. Can any previous wins have been as exuberant as this, the county's 26th? In the last minutes of the game, sunshine spread an amber colour across the field and Brian Cody has his arms raised. They knew, but still they searched.

Eddie Brennan, a star for tomorrow, blazed in for the fifth goal. DJ and Charlie sent over distant signature notes as the party began.

"It was just a spirit, a reaction under pressure," summed up John Power.

A weaker team might have buckled under the weight, but not this one. This could see the start of the latest Kilkenny era. They have stared the bad times down and are stronger for it. Who knows when these great neighbours will next meet in September?

Offaly's summers will remain stubbornly unpredictable and all the better for that, but it is not hard to imagine Kilkenny returning to this stage frequently.

After yesterday, the path ahead seemed alight with promise. "With days like this," said DJ Carey, "you'd stay going for ever".

Amen.