Adversity made us stronger – Hannon
GIVING UP NOT AN OPTION, INSISTS LIMERICK CAPTAIN
DECLAN HANNON will go down in history as the man who hoisted Liam MacCarthy above his head and ended 45 years of agony for a proud hurling county. And he conceded that he got to live out the dreams of thousands of Limerick people by walking up the steps of the Hogan Stand.
‘It’s an unbelievable feeling. You couldn’t buy it. A dream come true,’ said the Adare native. ‘Anyone who has played this sport has walked around the back garden, pretending to march behind the band since they were four or five years of age, dreaming of Croke Park. For it to come true is a nice feeling.’
Hannon, like so many Limerick players of the past, has had harrowing experiences at headquarters. ‘I probably had my worst experience ever in Croke Park in 2013 (All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Clare). It took a while to get over that. But those hardships build you as a person as well. The easy thing to do would be to say: “I will leave, I don’t want this anymore”, but the boys are so grounded, everyone dug in and kept going. It’s so worth it now.’
John Kiely had his own days to forget at Croker. He was there in both 1994 and 1996, as a great Limerick team stumbled on the final furlong.
As Galway showed their resilience in the final 15 minutes, the manager admitted that Offaly in 1994 did cross his mind.
‘Sure, I was there. I saw what happened with my own eyes, I was a member of the extended panel in ’94, a sub in ’96. You can’t block it out, you have to acknowledge and just hope that the lads get over the line this time,’ he said, admitting that the All-Ireland famine had been tough for the county.
‘Listen, it is a pity that it took so long. There were fantastic teams in 1980 and 1981, ’94, ’96 and 2007. Great teams and great players, and some things just didn’t fall for them. But it is a privilege to be involved with this particular group. I never thought eight or nine years ago we would end up where we did.’
Midfielder Darragh O’Donovan remarked how Kiely always exudes calmness on the sideline, but the manager insisted he struggled to keep his emotions in check in those fraught final few minutes.
‘My heart was jumping out of my chest down there. But at the same time, you are trying to block out the noise and think as clearly as you can. It is new to us — all this, but it is not the easiest place to be. I wouldn’t recommend this job. And we saw what happened when the momentum shifted to Galway, it was hard to reverse that and respond. It slipped a bit but we won a few vital balls, and did just enough to get over the line.’
Kyle Hayes, the young centreforward from Kildimo, was outstanding for Limerick, especially early in the second half. He is now odds on to scoop Young Hurler of the Year but admitted he couldn’t see a winning return to Croke Park for a senior All-Ireland final when he lost the 2016 minor decider.
‘Yeah, it feels good, especially after last year with the Under 21 medal in the back pocket. It is a special feeling. Two years ago, I didn’t think I’d get back up here, winning something,’ Hayes said.
Hayes reckoned the first time he sensed there was potential in this group of players was when they played Galway in this year’s Allianz League.
‘The first time we played Galway in Salthill, we were eight points down and to come back against the All-Ireland champions in their own home venue, a thing like that you know there is something special in the group,’ he added.