GREEN GODS

DAVY FITZGERALD: As good ateamas I’ve seen

JOHN KIELY insists that the lack of a celebratory All-ireland homecoming for the Limerick hurlers for the second year running won’t take anything from their sweetest feeling.

The Treaty boss hailed his players after their emphatic triumph over Cork in front of 40,000 spectators in Croke Park, the biggest crowd at a sporting event in Ireland since March 2020.

The 16-point victory ensured Limerick’s first ever back-to-back All-ireland success – and a remarkable third final win in four years under Kiely. “It was great to have the crowd here today – to have all our supporters, family members and club members, friends and colleagues all with us and the wider GAA community in Limerick,” he said.

“There was a lovely hour afterwards where everybody stayed. The players stayed on the pitch and just soaked up the atmosphere.

“Family members came in, kids came in, babies came in. A lot of babies arrived recently in our camp, it was like a maternity ward the last while!

“People savoured the moment. We’re very fortunate to be where we are today – to have a

performance like that and a success like we had today, we have to savour those things. It was done in a very measured way and it was just lovely.

“Likewise, for those that are at home. It’s great that they could share in the moment as well, if you like, that they had some of their family members there.

“Maybe not everybody got to come to the game today but a lot did. We’re on the right road. Please God next year we’ll have everybody back in situ again and we’ll drive on again, for whoever will be here this time next year.”

Meanwhile, Declan Hannon became the first three-time All-ireland winning captain since Christy Ring yesterday but Kiely insists that making history is the last thing on the Limerick legend’s mind.

The 28-year-old (above) came off injured to a standing ovation in the 62nd minute yesterday, his inspirational work already done on another special day for his team.

“It’s just the sheer honesty of the guy,” said Treaty boss Kiely. “I was here in 2013 with him when he had a day where things just didn’t work out for him. He had a really tough time at that stage but he always stuck with it.

“Thankfully, being the guy he is, he carries the captaincy very lightly. He doesn’t take it as being something for him, he takes it as being something that’s representative of the group.

“He will always put the group before himself and that’s what makes him a great captain. That’s what we’d hope all our players would espouse but he does

it really well from the front.”