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

HIS go-to song is Piano Man but Limerick’s all-time greatest hurling manager showed the nation that he can swing his hips too! 

An ecstatic John Kiely leapt into the air on the steps of the Hogan Stand this Sunday evening and shook all the pressures and talk of four-in-a-row and history off his shoulders with relief.

Nike’s famous advertising slogan is 'Just. Do. It.' Well Kiely 'Did It'. And 'Did. It.' with panache.

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After a somewhat sluggish opening half which saw the Cats purr and pounce, the Treatymen came good again in the third quarter of the game, which has been a trend of this team throughout the 2023 season. 

“You know we have been very strong in quarter three all year, and you know we needed to be. We probably struggled through the first half, being honest about it. Energy levels were down, we found it hard to get them up to where they needed to be and listen all credit to Kilkenny, they brought a ferocious intensity in the first half.”

Kiely said that the second-half turnaround was purely down to the players. The team re-grouped at halftime and came out of the dressing room looking like a new team.

“We have zero impact on the sideline, it’s so hard. The lads to be fair to them showed great calmness, they were measured in what they were doing. They just trusted in themselves and the process.”

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Kiely and coach Paul Kinnerk have set a culture within Limerick hurling and havw developed a group of players that arguably could be one, if not the, best hurling team ever. 

“This bunch of men are just incredible, they are just so honest. Every single day they go out and you know you are going to get whatever is in the tank from them. That means a huge amount from a management perspective.

“There is a huge togetherness there and they will die for eachother on the pitch. Finally, they are good at adjusting by themselves. They will always stick to the process, that’s what they are good at.”