Limerick's Kyle Hayes always knew it would be a tough battle against Kilkenny

LEADERSHIP and perseverance was needed from Limerick’s hurling team today as a shaky opening half saw them three points down at the break, but Kyle Hayes always knew that it would be a tough battle against the Cats. 

“The first 15 minutes they blew it away with the intensity they brought, but a couple of plays here and there, we got ourselves back into it and got our passing game going then, that’s really where we found our flow and the rest kind of happened then.”

Moments of doubt never crossed the mind of the wing back as the experience of this Limerick side kicked in. 

John Kiely’s men have been in situations like that before and as Kyle explained panicking in an All-Ireland final was not on the agenda. 

“When you have the quality of the boys around you and coming off the bench you can rely on them because you know they will put in a quality performance when they are coming in or starting.”

They will die for each other on the pitch’ - Kiely lauds his all-conquering Limerick players

Hayes has been part of the Limerick set-up since under 18 and it would be understandable that it might be difficult to repeat success year in and year out, but that is not the case for him or the rest of the Limerick squad. 

“There are learnings everyday you go out into training, you are playing against quality players. The intensity we have at training is absolutely ridiculous, so is the quality of the teams we are playing against. 

Of course year on year you have to find learning or else it is going to get stale.”