It got a laugh but it said a lot. It's believed that only seven of the starting 15 and five of the substitutes would be able to make the trip. For manager Monty Moloney, it was clear cut. "We are not playing just to play in a final, we're playing to win."

Moloney's words were echoed by many and captain PhilipWickham told the Tribune later: "It wouldn't be fair to the lads that trained so hard for this if we went over without them."

Wickham expressed surprise at the storm New York's victory had caused. "I thought they'd come out, " the Wexford man said. I thought they'd look forward to coming over."

"We'd play well against Antrim, " Moloney continued, "we'd love to get a run at them." Whether New York get to take that run is out of Moloney's hands, however, but as Wickham said: "At least New York hurling is on the map, one way or another."