Panel power proves crucial as Limerick seal Munster five-in-a-row
LIMERICK won their 24th Munster senior hurling title with a nail-biting victory over Clare at a baking hot TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon.
Manager John Kiely had special mention for his entire panel of players in the aftermath of the win as they came good late on to win their fifth Munster SHC crown on the bounce.
Kiely sprung a surprise with the inclusion from the start of David Reidy and Graeme Mulcahy in place of Cathal O'Neill and Peter Casey but the move worked a treat.
The Limerick manager was steadfast in his explanation of the switches when speaking to reporters after the full-time whistle.
"It's quite simple. The boys were hopping off the sod in training for the last two weeks and they were coming into a great vein of form," John Kiely explained.
"You have to recognise form. What's the point of having A v Bs or what's the point of having training if you're not going to react in the right way when a player puts his hand up and says. 'I'm ready to be started'. You can't pigeonhole somebody as being a certain type of player, a finisher, a starter or whatever it is.
"You have to recognise a player's abilities and what the form is like at the minute. The two boys’ form book was exceptionally strong. And we had a brilliant bench.
"We could have named another 11 subs because our panel as a whole have been hurling exceptionally well over the last two weeks. It really drove forward the group as a whole in the last couple of weeks."
Limerick outscored Clare by 1-5 to 0-3 in the third quarter of the contest and Kiely says that the period after half-time is always seen as crucial.
"Yeah, it was a big third quarter. It's something we go after. Each season brings its own narrative and one of the things that's been noticeable this year is that our third quarter has been tremendous in terms of energy and in terms of scoring.
"It's a great trait in a team to come out in what they call the moving quarter and actually move."
Elsewhere, Limerick captain Declan Hannon described winning five Munster titles in a row as ‘mad’. “It only came into our heads in the dressing room a couple of minutes ago,” Declan Hannon said.
"Winning five-in-a-row is a mad achievement. You see how tough it is to even get into the top three in Munster. An amazing day. Having the Munster final in Limerick. The atmosphere. A full house.
"Coming in on the bus was unreal. I don't know what to say to be honest. The game took on a life of its own. Again a point in it at the end. At the start of the year, getting into the top three in Munster is the priority and we had the bonus of the Munster final.
"When you get there, you do everything you can to win it because it's not that long ago that Limerick were struggling to win a game even, We remember those days as well. It's a fantastic day.
"A lot of supporters have missed out in the last number of years with Covid in 2020 and in 2021 there was only half the capacity. I'd say they were foaming at the mouth to get into the Gaelic Grounds today and sure the tickets were so scarce. It was pandemonium around the city in the last few days.
"It reminded me of 2013 when Limerick won Munster for the first time in a long time. Green and white on the pitch. Limerick is just craving success."