Taste of success has left Treaty ravenous
“They head to Nowlan Park to reaffirm 2019 credentials”
AT THE launch of the new online digital archive in the GAA museum on Tuesday, Tomás Meehan clicked through the database to give a working illustration of the untold joys that will be available to fans of Gaelic games the world over, at the touch of a button.
Given the events of last summer, it was fitting that from the vast store of All-Ireland finals stockpiled, dating back to 1961, he selected the 1973 All-Ireland hurling final and a brief clip from Limerick’s triumph over Kilkenny.
Nobody knew then that it would be 45 years before the county would experience the same joy again.
It was in the same museum back in 2013 that one of the true stars that day — Eamonn Cregan — was inducted into the GAA’s official Hall of Fame. Rather than simply wallow in the moment, he said he couldn’t wait for the day when Limerick had a new set of All-Ireland winning heroes to celebrate, a day when there was no need to re-run the old footage from 1973.
Last August, he got his wish. The clips of Cregan hurling up a storm at centre-back in the defining tactical switch of the day, Richie Bennis slinging over frees or captain Eamonn Grimes lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup have now been overtaken by Shane Dowling’s finish to the net against Galway, Graeme Mulcahy’s jinking, left-handed, late point and Tom Condon racing out with the ball in the final play. Just a few of the standout moments from a seesaw final against Galway.
The significance of Limerick winning in a summer when they also defeated Kilkenny for the first time since 1973 wasn’t lost on supporters.
And now, here they are, heading to Nowlan Park on Sunday to try and reaffirm their credentials for 2019.
By virtue of the county’s purgatory period in Division 1B, they haven’t played Kilkenny in a Division 1 group game since 2010. Back then, a 2-17 to 0-16 defeat was part of a slide into the second tier of League hurling, a demotion in status which took so long to redress.
But the evidence of the opening two rounds suggest John Kiely’s team is determined to lay down a marker for the summer ahead when they will defend their All-Ireland title.
In a tetchy, physical first match against Wexford, Limerick showed the steel that has become a defining feature of their progress, finding a way to quieten a partisan support at Wexford Park.
After a slow start against Tipperary, the manner in which they bossed the second half in the next round was so impressive.
They finished seven ahead, 1-21 to 1-14, and left the impression that they would have increased the gap if any further added time had been played. Just look at the quality coming in off the bench in that second half: Peter Casey, Paddy O’Loughlin, Kyle Hayes, Pat Ryan and Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch.
As if to accentuate the gym build that the players exhibit, the 2019 player-fit jersey seems to be painted on. When you hear Seamus Flanagan mention how they enjoyed the team holiday to Cancun in Mexico but were driven enough to work in a few beach sessions, it’s as if the core group of young players who underpinned the breakthrough are determined to leave a lasting legacy.
Andrew O’Shaughnessy was in Dublin this week to promote the launch of the latest Laochra Gael series which features the Limerick underage prodigy who was there to witness the failure to translate a hat-trick of Under 21 AllIrelands into senior success.
The teetotaller described the frustration of a generation of talented young players being tagged with a Monday drinking club moniker when so many other forces were at play to prevent any sort of tangible progress at senior
level. What was noticeable, he said, was the policy of last year’s title winning team to not bring the Liam MacCarthy Cup into any pub.
Sunday is about making another type of statement on the pitch.
‘Any team that plays Kilkenny defines their season to be honest with you, that’s the standard they set,’ he pointed out.
‘It will be an interesting game, I imagine it will be a very physical game. The result shouldn’t influence on later on in the Championship, but it might more be a moral victory for either team.’
Not that Brian Cody or John Kiely will rush to claim it as such but there is no denying that their meeting last summer is feeding into the sense of anticipation about this one.
That was a day that showcased Limerick’s ability to respond under pressure.
When Richie Hogan goaled late on in last year’s All-Ireland quarterfinal, the match looked to be following a predictable script.
Instead, Tom Morrissey caught the puck-out and pointed and Limerick finished with a flourish, taking Kilkenny’s scalp for the first time since 1973.
During the Munster round robin last year, John Kiely gave an insight into Limerick’s mindset away from home. ‘We’ve travelled very well all year. Any of our away games have been good performances so we’ve no fear in going on the road.’
No doubt that’s the mindset the All-Ireland champions will bring with them on Sunday.