John Kiely: 'Limerick will return refreshed and ready to go in 2025'

JOHN Kiely has no doubts  that this Limerick side will be back and ready to go again for the 2025 season.

“We haven't tasted defeat very often. Any time we have it has tasted very sour. The group will reflect individually and collectively there will be a lot of time for that.

“They're very disappointed obviously. Immensely proud of the boys and all the people in the backroom team. I've no doubt Limerick will regroup and come back in 2025 refreshed and ready to go again.”

Kiely was extremely proud of his sides performance.

“For me the overriding thought is that I'm extremely proud of the players and what they've did for 2024.

“They couldn't of did anymore. They worked extremely hard. They left no stone unturned. We have no regrets. It's good to have that in some respect.

“Of course, we picked up some injuries along the way.But every team has setbacks and you plough on. We had every faith in the guys to be able to get across the line today but we were just that little bit off.”

The Limerick senior hurling manager feels 2024 was an enjoyable year for the players and the management.

“We had a really enjoyable year together. We were light on ourselves. We were determined to enjoy the season and we set out to do it and we did it and I don’t think the group has any baggage in that regard coming into today or any other day. I think you could see that by the performance.”

Before the game there was a lot of talk about Limerick aiming to become the first team to win five All-Ireland SHC titles in-a-row. Kiely felt that didn't have any influence on this team.

“I don’t think it had any bearing on us at all, to be honest with you. We felt light about all that all year. We were very committed to going after the 2024 championship. When you’re on the road as long as the lads are, on a winning run like they have been, of course you’re going to come up against opportunities for the opposition to beat you. Of course you are.”

After Limerick's defeat to Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final, John Kiely felt his side had the chances to win the game.

“I'm just disappointed for the lads, they've put in a huge shift with a little bit more efficiency they could of got across the line. It was just down to a battle of efficiency in the finish. Cork were that little bit more efficienct. I don't know the stats but that's my first impression of it. We did have chances coming down the stretch. Cork's shooting was incredible.

I don’t know how many points they got from the sideline but they got quite a few down there from the left-hand side. Congratulations to Cork. We wish them and Clare the best in the final. It’s over to them”

Limerick hit 14 wides on Sunday.

“But we gave ourselves an opportunity to win it too. It wasn’t that we didn’t have the opportunity to win the game today. If we were beaten by 10 points you’d say, something’s wrong here, we didn’t give ourselves an opportunity to win the game’. We could have won by two or three but we didn’t and, you know, that’s just the way it is.”