Limerick county final day to honour 25th anniversary of 1997 hurling league title victory

THE 25th anniversary of Limerick 1997 hurling league title success will be marked this Sunday as part of the Limerick SHC final day.

The players and management will be feted at a pre-match lunch in the Strand Hotel and will then be introduced to the crowd in the TUS Gaelic Grounds at half time in the Kilmallock v Na Piarsaigh final.

Limerick were crowned hurling league champions for the 11th time on October 5, 1997.

The Church & General National Hurling League title was annexed with a 1-12 to 1-9 final win over Galway in Cusack Park in Ennis.

It was a campaign that saw the Tom Ryan managed Shannonsiders play nine games - winning six, losing just once and drawing twice.

The ‘97 hurling league was run on a trial basis from March to October - three group matches in March, two in April and one each in May and June. The league semi finals were in August and the final in October.

It was a Limerick side managed by Tom Ryan (Ballybrown) with selectors Liam Lenihan (Tournafulla) and Bernie Savage (Kilmallock) with trainer Brian Ryan (South Liberties).

The 1997 Limerick captain was Gary Kirby.

Of the back of the 1996 All-Ireland SHC final defeat to Wexford, Limerick hit the ground running in ‘97 with a 3-8 to 2-10 win over Kilkenny in Nowlan Park in round one of the league on March 9 - Gary Kirby, Mike Galligan and Dave Hennessy with the goals.

Limerick lost to Galway but also defeated Wexford, Offaly and Laois and drew with Clare and Tipperary.

That run ensured a trip back to Nowlan Park for a semi final meeting with Kilkenny on August 24 - about six weeks after the men in green and white had exited the Munster SHC with semi final defeat to Tipperary and two weeks after The Cats had lost an All-Ireland SHC semi final to Clare.

Limerick returned a 1-17 to 0-10 victory with Mike Galligan raising the green flag.

So it was a Limerick v Galway National Hurling League Final seven months after the competition had started. 

The sides had met in round six on May 10 and The Tribesmen were 1-24 to 1-10 winners in Athenry in a game that was two weeks prior to Limerick’s Munster SHC quarter final with Waterford.

In this final it was a Limerick team that showed three personnel changes from the side that had exited the championship back in mid-June but also had positional switches of note - TJ Ryan at centre back from corner forward and Mark Foley at centre forward from wing back.

As Tom Ryan’s charges faced off against Cyril Farrell’s men in maroon, a Mike Galligan goal had Limerick 1-5 to 0-5 ahead at half time in front of an attendance of 23,000 in Ennis.

Limerick surged clear in the second half but the defending league champions rallied with a late goal but Limerick weren’t to be denied silverware and a second league medal for those remaining from the 1992 title win.

Limerick surged clear in the second half but the defending league champions rallied with a late goal but Limerick weren’t to be denied silverware and a second league medal for those remaining from the 1992 title win.

PANEL: Gary Kirby, Ciaran Carey  Barry Foley, Tony O’Brien, Natal O’Grady, Nigel Carey (all Patrickswell); James Moran, Ollie Moran, Clem Smith, Mike Fitzgerald (all Ahane), Mike Nash, Declan Nash, Albert Shanahan (all South Liberties); TJ Ryan, Frankie Carroll, Donie Ryan (all Garryspillane), Dave Clarke, Padraig Tobin, Mike Houlihan (Kilmallock); Mark Foley, Jack Foley, Con Murphy (all Adare); Shane O’Neill and David Hennessy (both Na Piarsaigh), Mike Galligan and Alan Browne (both Claughaun); Sean O’Neill, Owen O’Neill (both Murroe-Boher); Joe Quaid (Feohanagh), Stephen McDonogh (Bruree), Pat Heffernan (Blackrock), John Flavin (Monagea), Brian Tobin (Mungret), Paddy Coleman (Doon), Niall Doolan (Ballybrown).