Limerick’s green giants raise the bar to almost frightening levels
Inside Track with John McIntyre
Those of us who were starting to wonder if Limerick hurlers had another gear in them got an emphatic answer in Sunday’s All-Ireland final at Croke Park when their green giants physically battered gallant Waterford into submission. In their best performance of the year, Limerick powered to an unflattering 11-point triumph in coming through a challenging season with a 100% record. Two All-Ireland, two Munster and two National League titles over three seasons leaves no doubt now about which team is the best in the land.
It was almost as if Declan Hannon and company were liberated by getting back to All-Ireland final day. They had done just enough to see off Waterford in the Munster final and Galway last month, but Sunday’s overall display was in a different league altogether.
Having slipped up against Kilkenny in last year’s semi-final, Limerick played like a team under pressure until they had got back to hurling’s biggest day. Against a background of growing confidence behind Waterford’s chances, John Kiely’s squad seem to take offence in laying down the law with a vengeance.
Their hurling was more fluid than at any other stage of the campaign and with several individuals going to the clouds in delivering outstanding performances, never did Waterford look capable of causing an upset. In fact, how they were only three points down at the break given the quality of Limerick’s hurling is something of a mystery.
Sure, the Déise had a clear-cut goal scoring opportunity from Jack Fagan in the opening minute and several other half-chances, but they were almost obliterated around the field by Limerick’s sheer power and physicality. The likes of Austin Gleeson kept going hard to the finish and Waterford have made stunning progress this season only to run headlong into a green juggernaut on Sunday.
On another day Seamus Flanagan and Aaron Gillane scoring seven points from play between them would be a deal-breaker, but not when in-form half forwards Tom Morrissey and Gearóid Hegarty are causing such destruction outside of them. This influential pair sent over a dozen points in total and left Waterford chasing shadows.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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