A back door look at Sunday's final

Take Two: Munster final 1967

Tipperary - 4-12, Clare - 2-6, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.

Although Tipperary ran out convincing winners, this match was closely contested until the last quarter. Clare had brought the legendary Jimmy Smyth back into the team after an absence of two years and were strengthened by the transfer of All-Ireland medallist Tom Ryan from Tipperary.

Clare were believed to have their best team since 1955 whereas Tipperary were between All-Irelands, having won in 1964 and '65 and about to lose successive finals in '67 and '68 before winning again in 1971.

Current Tipperary manager Len Gaynor was playing that day and it was one of his predecessors, Babs Keating, who took the scoring honours with 3-2. Goals from John Flanagan and Keating helped Tipp to a half-time lead of 2-6 to 2-4, with the Clare goals coming from Smith and Pat Cronin.

Soon after the interval the sides were level and according to Keating, "it looked like we had a real fight on our hands". Instead Clare's challenge faltered and they failed to score thereafter, leaving Tipp to pull away for a comfortable win.

New deal: Beefing up

Clare and Tipperary changes since Munster final

Clare - In: Fergal Hegarty and Conor Clancy

Out: Barry Murphy and Stephen McNamara.

Tipperary - In: Liam Sheedy, Conal Bonnar, Liam McGrath, Eugene O'Neill, Brian O'Meara.

Out: Raymie Ryan, Aidan Butler, Kevin Tucker, Liam Cahill, Philip O'Dwyer.

Physique: Despite Tipperary's "bulking up" since July, Clare are more notably a bigger team for Sunday than they were in July.

Clare - Four inches taller, three stone heavier. Players six feet and over - Seven.

Tipperary - One inch taller, 10 ounces heavier. Players six feet and over - Eight.

Captain's View: Galway 1979

Joe McDonagh - (Galway v Kilkenny)

The current president of the GAA led Galway into this final which they were given a good chance of winning, but which slipped away from them in the end. McDonagh's selection had been shrouded in controversy because of an illness he suffered between the semi-final win over Cork and the final.

"I remember the lead-up. I thought I had the flu and was out of training for a fortnight. I came back thinking everything's OK, but I didn't feel myself on the day and probably wouldn't have passed one of today's more vigorous fitness tests. It turned out later, after I had collapsed in an Oireachtas semi-final against Wexford, that I had played the All-Ireland with a lungful of TB. In the hospital they were surprised that I had lasted the 70 minutes.

"There were great hopes in Galway before the match, we thought we were in with a good chance and there was huge disappointment when we lost. I remember being asked to speak to the team about my feelings by Babs (Keating, Galway manager that year) and I referred to the football teams of the '70s who had lost three All-Irelands. Some of those players attended our last sessions to wish us well and I said that I didn't want our team to have to suffer the same disappointment as they had.

"I was marking Chunky O'Brien, who ended up as Man of the Match, and people assumed afterwards that I'd got the runaround, but nearly all his scores came from frees and I felt I hadn't been that bad.

"Afterwards in hospital, I had a lot of time to reflect and I knew that we weren't far away from a breakthrough. But by the time I got back, the team had a settled look and I only played on and off after that."

Clubcall: Most successful

Clare: Newmarket - The most successful hurling club in Clare, Newmarket initially looked to be pursuing a footballing path, winning county senior titles in 1887 and 1888. Defeating O'Callaghan's Mills to win their first senior hurling title in 1912 was the catalyst for sporadic championship bursts which yielded eight more titles by 1955. In 1963, the club set sail on an 18-year odyssey of triumph, contesting 14 county finals and winning all but one. In seven of those finals, including the three-in-a-row in 1967, '68 and '69, they defeated their close neighbours and arch-rivals Clarecastle. In '68 and '69 they went on to become Munster club champions. Their last title was back in 1981.

Founded: 1885. Number of county championships: 22. Captains of All-Ireland winning teams: None. Parish base: Newmarket, Tradaree, Stonehall, Ballygar, Moohane, Clonmony. Players on county panel: None. Population of catchment area: 3,000. Club members: 180.

Tipperary: Thurles Sarsfields - It was inevitable that a GAA club would be formed in 1884 in Thurles after the association's birth there that year. The club, after Padraig Sarsfield, won its first county senior title three years later. Twice a four-in-a-row was achieved between 1906 and 1909, and between 1935 and 1939. Despite the club having secured its 17th county title by 1952, three years later the Sarsfields golden era really kicked off. With the Doyles, Murphys, Mahers, Fogartys and the legendary Tony Wall, the club won 10 titles in 11 years. Boasting the remarkable record of having eight captains of 10 All-Ireland winning teams, the club won its 24th and last title in 1974, in a side captained by Jimmy Doyle.

Date founded: 1884. Number of county championships: 24. Captains of All-Ireland winning teams: Jim Stapleton 1887, Tom Semple 1906 and 1908, John Joe Callanan 1930; Jim Langan 1937; John Maher 1945; Tony Wall 1958, Jimmy Doyle 1962 and 1965; Michael Murphy 1964. Parish base: Thurles. Players on county panel: Brendan Carroll. Population of catchment area: 8,000. Club members: 130.

Minor matters: Clare v Galway

Clare's minor hurling team, on course for becoming the first ever side to win an All-Ireland title after losing a provincial final, have made two changes from the side that started against Kilkenny for Sunday's decider against Galway at Croke Park, writes Pat Roche. Danny Duggan of O'Callaghan's Mills, who came on as a substitute to replace left corner back Paul Collins in the semi-final, retains his position.

Joe O'Meara, the left wing forward against Kilkenny who was replaced in that game by Eric Minogue, is now replaced by Patrick Moroney of Scariff in a reshuffled half forward line, which sees Colm Mullin moving to the left to accommodate the Scariff man on the right.

Galway have chosen the side that finished against holders Tipperary in the semi-final. David Donoghue, Ollie Deeley and Cathal Coen hold on to their places after being drafted into the attack during that match. Also brought into the attack is Garry Hurney on the left wing. Joe Hession from Tulloughmore makes his championship debut, partnering his club mate Niall Lawlor in midfield.

Clare: G O'Connell; W Kennedy, K Kennedy, D Duggan; B McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), J Reddin, G Malone; S Fitzpatrick, G Considine; P Moroney, C Earlie, C Mullin; M Lennon, D Madden, B McMahon (Kilmaley).

Galway: C Callanan; E McDonagh, D Cloonan, E Donohue; J Cannon, S Morgan, A Walsh; N Lawlor, J Hession; D Donoghue, D Tierney, G Hurney; O Deely, K Hayes, C Coen.