TIPPERARY CANVASSIT MAY be the scene of epic encounters every summer but yesterday Thurles failed to live up to the pre-match billing.
Yes versus No may well be provoking passions on the airwaves but the visit of the Yes team under the auspices of the Irish Alliance for Europe yesterday was far from championship fare, despite the presence of some of Tipperary's finest politicos in the line-up.
Tipperary North Independent TD and former Fine Gael stalwart Michael Lowry was joined by old sparring partner, former Fianna Fáil TD and EU commissioner Michael O'Kennedy, with former president of the European Parliament Pat Cox also togging out for the Yes team.
Assembling beside the Yes campaign bus in the Square, the three headed off down to the local shopping centre with a handful of supporters.
At Dunnes Stores, Caroline Nesbitt and some other women from Loughmore were collecting money for their local primary school and they willingly posed for a photo with the politicians, even though they admitted they weren't overly familiar with what the treaty involves.
"It's hard to understand - it's not really being explained in layman's language," said Caroline. "If Charlie McCreevy hasn't read the treaty because he's too busy what hope is there for us? At the same time our politicians are advising us to vote Yes so I will probably vote Yes."
But if Lisbon was failing to send emotions rocketing to fever pitch as might happen when Tipp and Cork clash, Michael Lowry was in no doubt but that one championship cliche would most certainly apply to the referendum, that "it's all on the day". In other words, turnout would be crucial.
"Everything depends on the turnout. The turnout is likely to be around 40-50 per cent of the electorate but gradually the message is getting across that both from an economic and a social perspective that we are at the heart of Europe and we need to stay there," he said.
""If people want to register a protest against the Government, they'll have ample opportunity to do it at next year's local and European elections. This is a matter of national importance - the eyes of Europe are on us and we have to send out a positive message," he said.