King Kiely salutes Limerick players after fifth All-Ireland win

LIMERICK manager John Kiely did not hide the admiration he had for his group of players following their thrilling All-Ireland win over Kilkenny.

It is Limerick's fifth Liam MacCarthy Cup success since 2018 and their fourth-in-a-row having seen Kilkenny off for the second year running. A 12th All-Ireland title overall for the county.

“I really wanted this for the lads,” Kiely admitted following the nine-point win. “They have been an incredible bunch and work so hard.

“There is never a night at training where these boys don't deliver everything they have in the tank. I just felt that I really wanted this for them. I really wanted them to achieve this.

“You never know when you are going to get the chance again. Never again a chance like that for certain. Kilkenny brought a huge intensity. Everywhere we had the ball, there was three of them attacking us. We turned over ball. They created scoring chances and took them. They got a great goal.

“It wasn't a pretty picture at that stage, but we managed to respond at that stage, in many different ways. We got great scores in the run up to half time.”

Limerick manager John Kiely celebrates with Tom Morrissey following their win over Kilkenny. PICTURE: Sportsfile

Kiely also hailed Cian Lynch's performance in the showpiece final and in the run-up to the game after he stepped in as captain for the injured Declan Hannon.

“Cian just stepped up. Even on the train coming up, he was at every table and meeting all the lads. He just led it and was very comfortable. That's a really special piece for us to have,” added Kiely.

The Galbally man also spoke at length about the year that his side put down in order to reach Sunday's final and come out victorious.

Limerick struggled to wins over Waterford and Cork in the Munster SHC and drew with Tipperary. They also lost their first game in Munster since 2019 when Clare beat them at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in April before getting revenge against the Banner in the Munster decider.

“We were really under the cosh in some matches and the games could have gone against us. In the Munster round robin, there was a huge challenge brought our way.

“We kept battling away and found a way to win those games or get a draw, or get something out of it. Once we got out of Munster, it gave us that opportunity to get a bit of work and a bit of freshness into us.

“We got stronger from all those games really and once we got that breather after the Munster championship, we were able to push on from there.”

Kiely also paid tribute to his players' ability to start the second half of nearly every game this year really well. Limerick blitzed Kilkenny on Sunday in the third quarter and it was key to their success. It's a trait that the Limerick manager loves to see.

“We have been very strong in the third quarter all year and we needed to be strong. In the first two plays, we created scoring chances. We didn't score them but it was an indicator about what was to come.

“They got a great goal again and we responded really well at that stage as well. They got the next point and then we got the next five after that. That was a really important piece (of the game). “Once we got our noses in front and the lads came off the bench, I think we saw out the game very well.”

It hadn't been the easiest of build up to the game for the All-Ireland champions with team captain Declan Hannon, Richie English and Jimmy Quilty all ruled out.

John Kiely lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the fourth year in-a-row following the victory last Sunday. PICTURE: Sportsfile

Hannon failed to recover from a knee injury that saw him miss the semi-final, while English and Quilty both picked up cruciate ligament injuries in the weeks leading up to the final.

“It was very disappointing for the lads,” added the Limerick manager. “They have given a huge amount to the group. They are all defenders. We were down five defenders coming into the game. That's a huge chunk of your panel missing in that department. All credit to the lads in the way they responded.”

Limerick arguably produced their greatest ever spell of hurling under Kiely in that second half. They outscored Kilkenny by 0-21 to 1-6 to earn the stunning win. Kiely feels that it was something special.

“It was a phenomenal second half. We dominated apart from the goal. That was probably against the run of play. We have taken confidence from our third quarter all year. We deliberately played into the Hill (16) to take on that breeze.

“We wanted to face that onslaught. We wanted to absorb it. We wanted to feel it. We wanted to fight it. It was difficult but the prize was to be able to take on those shots in the second half.

“There were some incredible scores taken. Even with the breeze, even with the distance, they were still fantastic scores that the lads picked off.

“I don't know what it would have turned out like otherwise (if Limerick hadn't won the toss) but it was the way that we wanted it to be.

“We have done it a good few times and we have good reference points where we have had to face similar situations. The lads are just comfortable in that space.

“There is nothing more that they are facing there, than what they are facing in training. At least there shouldn't be. So they have to cope with it. It took a long time for them, a long time to learn how to cope with it but they got there eventually.”

John Kiely celebrates Limerick's 30th point in the All-Ireland final. PICTURE: Sportsfile

One of the greatest and most visual moments of the win on Sunday was Cian Lynch and Declan Hannon lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Hannon brought Lynch up to do it in 2022 after injury blighted Lynch's season and the Patrickswell man returned the gesture for Hannon in 2023. It wasn't a surprise for the Limerick manager.

“I knew that if we had that opportunity that's what was going to happen. I didn't even have to ask. You know that's going to happen. Of course it is.

“If Cian could have had the 37 players up there, that's what he would have done. That's the way Cian is. It was a nice moment.”

Kiely was asked at the end of his post match interview whether thoughts had moved onto the drive for five. He said that the need to enjoy Limerick's four-in-a-row was the only thing on his mind. However, when all the celebrations have finished, both Kiely and Paul Kinnerk will be plotting once again.