The intensity shown in the All-Ireland final was enormous and they played at a level that this current Limerick team would not be able to match - in fact how many of the current Limerick team would even make the panel of either side?
We are so far off the pace and it will take some time to sort our problems and build a team for the future.
Last week's County Board meeting saw some good discussion and that was long overdue.
Only one delegate saw fit to ask what was the story with the management of the senior hurling team and the County Board chairman was quick to reply telling all that the present set up was in office for two years.
That's grand, but does that mean that all is well and do we forget that we were beaten by 24 points by Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final?
The fact that we lost by such a margin was enough and it should have been on the agenda for the meeting.

Training for over ten months
The Limerick senior hurling team were in training for over ten months and in that time did over one hundred sessions.
That took a great effort from so many people, but the question must be asked: why did we do so badly against Tipperary?
Our hurling was poor and the team lacked the heart that's needed to compete at this level.
Also, we lacked the fitness and intensity that's so much part of the game now.
The supporters of Limerick hurling are angry and they must be very confused that such an important matter could not be raised by any club at last week's board meeting.

Remembered as a disaster
This year will be remembered as a disaster for Limerick hurling, beaten in the minor grade by Tipperary, by Clare at under-21 level - again by a huge margin - and losing the senior by a massive 24 points.
We were also beaten out the gate at intermediate level.
One would think that someone would ask a question and say where we are going wrong.
Instead, as in the past, we just ramble along as if nothing is wrong and that all is well.
It says a lot about the club delegates because it would appear that they are not in touch with the feelings of their club members.

Call a special meeting
The County Board chairman Liam Lenihan must call a special meeting with all clubs to assess 2009 and make sure that we stop the rot and put some measures in place to try and lift Limerick hurling.
If we have any hope of looking forward we must first try and sort out where it all went wrong in 2009 and the years before.
Within a couple of months time the planning and focus for 2010 will begin and the wheels of Limerick hurling will be back rolling and before we know it we will be into the National League.
Some weeks ago I said we could yet have a winter of discontent and that may yet happen because I am told all is not well.
For far too long now we have put lads on the senior hurling panel who are just not good enough.
That will have to stop.
We must bring in players who will serve the county for the years ahead.
Some lads on the current team will never suffer from poor circulation because any time over the past few years that I have watched them training they were having their legs rubbed down and it was nearly always the same players, the ones just happy with the name of being a Limerick hurler.

Set far higher standards
The senior hurling management will have to set far higher standards because too many of the players they have brought in are just not up to playing at the highest level.
Also, the time has come to make some very hard calls, we can no longer have lads on the panel who want to drink and still play hurling at top level.
These guys must go, they are a cancer in our dressing room and regardless of their name, send them packing and bring in lads who will at least be honest to themselves and to Limerick hurling.
The management and the County Board know the guys who are bringing our name into the gutter, they must act now and Limerick hurling will be all the better for it in the future.
I have seen most of the games in the senior championship locally and I am sure that we do have players better than at least 10 of the current set up.
Of course some of these players will have to be worked with, but most are young and with the proper preparation they could make the transition to the higher level.

New senior hurling formula
In the near future we are set to have a new formula for the senior hurling championship. This will be important, but of most importance will be that our players will be playing with their clubs. Tipperary played all four of their divisional finals two weeks before the All-Ireland final, would that have happened in Limerick?
I don't think so.
Clubs that have players with the senior hurling and football teams see very little of them.
In a lot of cases some players will only play three or four hours hurling with their clubs most years if they are involved at county level.
Most will not play in the County League and if their club fails to have a good run in the championship you can see how little they will play with their clubs.
Players in Limerick, despite winning very little, are put up on a very high pedestal and one would have to feel sorry for our young players because they have very few stars to look up to now. To play with Limerick should be such a great honour, but for some people it's a way of giving them status.
That status should no longer be afforded to them.
It will be some time before Limerick return to winning ways, but this time should be used well to clear out our panels of the guys who are there for themselves and not our county.
Players in other counties not only put in a huge effort with their teams, but also working on there own a few hours a week.
After the recent All-Ireland I had the pleasure of spending some time with both teams and it was very interesting to hear them talk about the effort and the sacrifices they made during the year - in victory and defeat both the Kilkenny and Tipperary players were a pleasure to spend time with and it was clear by their manner how these teams became successful.

Nominating the captain
From next year on the county champions in Tipperary will no longer have the right to nominate the captain of the team - that should also be the case in Limerick. Some years ago that was sorted out at convention, but it only lasted one year - the manager of the team should have the right to name the captain.
We need to move on and I hope some club will bring this to convention and make a change for the better.

Quality was very poor
I saw three games in the championship last week and the quality was very poor.
Murroe-Boher had the better of Patrickswell in a game they should have won with much more ease.
They hit some very poor wides, but if they can get this part of their game right they will not be too far away.
This was a good team performance by the east Limerick side and they will cause trouble for any team.
Patrickswell were poor, they lacked the quality of players the club once produced with ease.
In the past Patrickswell had men who could hurl and also had the steel to mix it, but this current side is lacking that.
Gary Kirby has worked very hard, but unlike the teams he played with he was well short of quality players.
They have players coming, but it will take time before they can make the breakthrough at senior level.
Adare won their quarter-final with some ease over Doon.
The champions recovered after Doon got a good start and once they went ahead the game was over.
Adare are the team to beat and what I liked about them was the way they let the ball do the work. They kept it simple and that will win a lot of games for you.
Young Declan Hannon was the best player I have seen coming through for such a long time, I hope that this player will not be burned out. Give him time and rest and we will have a quality player for the years ahead.

Rugby & the GAA
Over the past few weeks a number of clubs have made contact with me regarding rugby and the GAA.
Some clubs have players playing both codes and there is little wrong with that, however those lucky enough to make some development squads in rugby have been told not to play GAA.
That's not right.
If all of Gaelic players playing rugby gave up the game in the morning they would have few playing or if all of GAA lads stopped supporting Munster you would find the numbers attending their games would be well down.
Young players should be allowed to play all games and not be bullied or threatened by any one code.
Some players in this county had to sit out games last week because they were told if they played hurling they would not be part of the rugby team.
The GAA did the right thing when it came to opening Croke Park.
Maybe the people charged with administering rugby should advise some of their mentors to grow up and let players play the games they love.