Sublime Limerick earn fourth All-Ireland in a row after stunning win over Kilkenny

LIMERICK are All-Ireland champions for the fourth year in a row following a stunning second half performance over Kilkenny at Croke Park.

John Kiely's men scored 21 second half points to earn a 0-30 to 2-15 win and their 12th ever All-Ireland title in front of a full house at GAA HQ.

Paddy Deegan got the scoring underway after just 56 seconds but Limerick responded with Cian Lynch and Diarmaid Byrnes to go in front.

However, it would be the only time that they would lead in the first half as Kilkenny took hold of the game in the opening 25 minutes.

Eoin Cody struck for their first half goal on 10 minutes. Conor Fogarty's long delivery wasn't dealt with by the Limerick full back line and Cody pounced to fire low past Nickie Quiad.

Tom Phelan followed up with a point to put a goal between the teams but Aaron Gillane soon settled Limerick with his first free of the afternoon.

Phelan and Kilkenny keeper Eoin Murphy soon had Derek Lyng's side back on the front foot. Limerick responded with Byrnes and Gillane points to leave the score at 1-4 to 0-5 after 19 minutes.

Three TJ Reid frees and an effort from play by Richie Reid took Kilkenny's lead to six points by the half hour but then came Limerick's best period of the opening half.

Cian Lynch's move from midfield to centre forward ushered that piece of play. He scored one himself and had a hand in David Reidy's and Tom Morrissey's scores in the lead up to half time. Gillane also landed a free in that time. The half time score was at 1-9 to 0-9.

Limerick began the second half with two Byrnes frees that reduced Kilkenny's lead to just one but Phelan's third of the game got the Cats on the board in the second stanza.

Deegan then came up with a bullet of a goal after more excellent work by Phelan that saw Lyng's men to a 2-10 to 0-11 advantage.

However, Limerick responded superbly with efforts from Peter Casey, Barry Nash, Gearóid Hegarty and Byrnes bringing it back to a one-point game. Gillane then squared the game up for a second time with 47 on the clock.

TJ's fifth free of the game soon had Kilkenny back in front but points from Byrnes and O'Donovan saw Limerick 0-18 to 2-11 ahead.

Gillane and two further Byrnes free then had Limerick into a four point lead at the 55th minute but another TJ placed ball and a Donnelly effort from play had Kilkenny back to just two points behind moments later.

It is then when Limerick kicked into another gear. Peter Casey sent over four second half points, while Kyle Hayes, Reidy and two from Hegarty sent Limerick into an unassailable lead.

It was left to Cathal O'Neill to have the final say with a second stunning effort that saw Limerick to a nine-point win and a fourth Liam MacCarthy Cup in a row.

SCORERS - LIMERICK: Diarmaid Byrnes 0-8 (0-7 frees), Aaron Gillane (0-3 frees) and Peter Casey 0-5 each, Cian Lynch, David Reidy, Gearóid Hegarty and Cathal O'Neill 0-2 each, Tom Morrissey, Barry Nash, Darragh O'Donovan and Kyle Hayes 0-1 each, 

SCORERS - KILKENNY: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-6 frees, 0-1 '65), Paddy Deegan 1-1, Eoin Cody 1-0, Tom Phelan 0-3, Eoin Murphy (0-1 free),  Richie Reid, John Donnelly and Adrian Mullen 0-1 each. 

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, William O'Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Darragh O'Donovan, Cian Lynch; Gearóid Hegarty, David Reidy, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Peter Casey.

SUBS: Cathal O'Neill for T Morrissey (55 mins), Graeme Mulcahy for Flanagan (62 mins), Conor Boylan for Hegarty (68 mins), Barry Murphy for O'Donovan (70 mins), Aaron Costello for M Casey (73 mins).

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Conor Fogarty, Richie Reid, Paddy, Deegan; Tom Phelan, Adrian Mullen, Walter Walsh, TJ Reid, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan, Eoin Cody.

SUBS: Padraig Walsh for Fogarty (h-t), Alan Murphy for Walsh (48 mins), Cian Kenny for Ryan (54 mins), Cillian Buckley for T Walsh (64 mins), Richie Hogan for Donnelly (68 mins).

REFEREE: John Keenan (Wicklow).