It's worth rupturing a few blood vessels in celebration if your team reaches the All-Ireland club hurling final for the first time in its history. Ulster champions Cushendall annihilated Connacht kings Sarsfields 3-12 to 1-6 in Pairc Tailteann in Meath this afternoon to advance to the St Patrick's Day decider where they will face Limerick's Na Piarsaigh or Wexford's Oulart-the-Ballagh.
You might assume that since Cushendall eased to a 12-point victory, celebrations at the full time whistle were joyous if a little more muted than if they had nabbed a late winner. Smiles, backpats, maybe even a superfluous spraying of water by a mischievous team-mate would all of been in-keeping with the margin of victory.
That wasn't enough for Antrim's Neil McManus.
The forward finished with 1-7 and marked his club's famous win by manically pumping his fist like Tiger at Augusta while almost popping a vein in the process.
McManus had extra reason to be happy though, as his early penalty saw Cushendall lead 1-4 to 0-5 at the break. Despite keeping the game tight in the first half, Sarsfields couldn't keep the same intensity in the second 30 minutes as further goals from Sean McAfee and Karl McKeegan saw the Ulster club book their final place in style.
