Talented Limerick will have to wait for moment in the sun
THE long wait. Hurling only has a few traditionally strong counties desperate to build a bridge to past glories. Last year we talked about Galway and the 29-year wait since the Liam MacCarthy Cup crossed the Shannon. After the All-Ireland final result, Waterford’s still dates back to 1959.
Clare, Wexford, Offaly all had success during the revolution years of the 1990s – which leaves Limerick. It is remarkable to think that such a proud hurling county hasn’t won an All-Ireland since 1973.
What happened in the 1994 decider – ‘the five-minute final’, one of the famous – is part of the explanation.
I watched it recently for the first time and it was a curious game. Everyone says Limerick had it won before the dramatic finale but there wasn’t that much in it. It swung on one issue – Johnny Dooley’s 21-yard free. He looked over to the line and Éamonn Cregan, as manager, pointed up, instructing him to put it over the bar.
Now Johnny was an absolute genius, one of the great forwards of any era, and decided to go against the grain – and putting the ball in the net was the beginning of the end for Limerick. Within 22 or 23 seconds, Pat O’Connor had grabbed another goal and the tide had turned completely.
In one way, it was very sad for Cregan who was completely conflicted at the final whistle. He was one of Limerick’s greatest hurlers, an outstanding corner-forward in his day. In 1973, it was his switch to centre-back that was the making of that last win.
He was so driven that there was no sentiment in the build-up. He had full faith we would win it. But when the final whistle went, the man was shattered. It was quite sad to see in hindsight. It nearly broke the man. In 1995 – the final we lost – he would have been able to enjoy it so much more. He was a serious man, a great coach. And he was deep thinker about the game.
A perfectionist, he took a little while to settle in with Offaly. It was the first time I was exposed to a personality like that and it was the same for many of the players. I remember one evening in training with the two of us standing across the width of the pitch. The aim was to try and hit the ball across the field and land it on the sideline – not one yard before or after – but right on it. Even then he had a huge presence, a real standing.
Back then, I was a ‘long-haul hurler’ as someone called me. I was in Dublin, travelling up and down all the time. I had a troublesome ankle which was at me for a few seasons, including 1994, and we had our ups and downs, no more than when I was left out of the starting line-up for that final before coming on.
But as time went on, it was hard not to appreciate what a passion he had for the game.
When he took over Limerick, he was too passionate, too hard on them. He nearly wanted it too much. When he got older, he mellowed. A grandfather tends to spoil a child while a father is more strict and Cregan has developed into a grandfather figure for Limerick hurling, helping to develop the next generation through his involvement with Mary Immaculate College.
Winning the Fitzgibbon Cup was just one sign of things coming together for Limerick hurling and he is still that revered figure. I thought it was a great story with the college. His hurling brain, his passion, his knowledge – they are qualities that go so far. Look at Jamie Wall taking up the baton and making his mark.
Is the torch that Cregan has carried about to be handed over to the next generation? I said this from the start of the Championship: I think they have the strongest panel, the strongest 30 players. A talented lad like Ronan Lynch isn’t even on the panel. It’s just about getting the right blend of 15 on the field.
There were some worrying signs in the Clare match. The full-back line looked shaky, a line that is an Achilles’ heel for a lot of counties. The Under-21s were also poor in losing to Tipperary.
What is their best team? To me, Kyle Hayes’ best position is centreback. John Kiely sees a need at centre-forward and that’s where he has been operating.
I think Kilkenny are dangerous. Plenty have pointed out the perils of playing three big games three weeks in a row. Looking at the round-robin, the only team that played three games in a row and won was Galway who narrowly beat Dublin.
But Kilkenny are different. I get the feeling Brian Cody has been building for a day like this and has been changing the team with a game like today’s in mind.
Richie Hogan is back to form which increases the attacking options. TJ Reid gave Galway’s Gearóid McInerney his fill of it in the replayed Leinster final.
How do they defy science and logic? They don’t make excuses. They play what’s in front of them. Last Sunday, I couldn’t help thinking they could come back against Galway no matter how far they were behind.
That’s in your psyche – as a player, you’re almost waiting for them to beat you. Whether they are good, bad or indifferent on any given day, that thought is inside everyone’s head.
Limerick don’t have that same heavy artillery up front as Galway.
PáDRAIG WALSH, Paddy Deegan, Joey Holden, Cillian Buckley all had their moments in defence last Sunday. Individually, a lot of Kilkenny players are playing well. They know the prize awaits of a semi-final against Cork, along with a few weeks’ rest.
Kilkenny will want to slow it down, make it physical. So Limerick are going to have to try quickening the tempo. Nicky Quaid’s puck-outs are key to setting the tone. Pucking it long into their halfback line a waste of time so he will have to vary it.
Johnny Glynns don’t grow on trees but Limerick might try to take a leaf out of Galway’s playbook and put Kyle Hayes in there and let him play the Glynn role of fielding it or breaking it to runners.
Pádraig Walsh is the key man for Kilkenny. When he is driving out with the ball he is an inspirational figure. When Galway limited his influence, it affected the whole Kilkenny team.
I really like this Limerick side, their youth, their pace, their enthusiasm. In some ways, it is set up for them. But there is something about this Kilkenny team. They have surprised me in how quickly they have developed. It has been a long wait for Limerick since 1973. I sense a bit more patience will be needed.