Champions: Limerick best in Croke Park thriller to win historic hurling hat-trick

LIMERICK are three-in-a-row All-Ireland senior hurling champions.....

This Sunday afternoon in Croke Park, John Kiely's side won a first ever hat-trick of Liam MacCarthy Cup titles with a 1-31 to 2-26 final win over Kilkenny.

And, what a final it was.

Certainly not the physical battle many expected, this was score for score, end-to-end with 24 different scorers accounting for 60 scores.

The final was level twice but Limerick were never behind and the impressive responses to two second half goals was key to securing this slice of hurling history.

The opening half was an end-to-end thriller with 17 different scorers (nine for Kilkenny) and just nine wides - five for Limerick, who would finish with 10 wides.

Limerick scored 1-12 from open play, while Kilkenny had 0-9. It concluded with 1-27 from play for Limerick and 2-18 for Kilkenny.

It was a four point half time lead and a two points winning margin.

Limerick raced from the traps and had 1-2 blasted into the Davin End goal before Kilkenny opened their account in the sixth minute.

A Diarmaid Byrnes free opened the scoring in the final and then Croke Park erupted on four minutes as Gearoid Hegarty pounced on a breaking ball and crashed across Eoin Murphy to the top corner of the net for another memorable goal from the St Patricks man, who was to have 1-3 by half time.

Aaron Gillane fetched moments later but without a hurley had to kick over the bar and Limerick had a five point lead and five minutes played.

It was a five point lead they would bring a four point gap into the interval, although they were six points clear at stages around the 25th minute.

Kilkenny found their feet but a Kyle Hayes intercept and a Hegarty caught from a puckout yielded points to leave it 1-5 to 0-3 and 12-minutes played.

Every Kilkenny score was answered in kind and Tom Morrissey and Hegarty points maintained the five point advantage to the mid-point of the half - 1-7 to 0-5.

A few mistakes spurred the men in black and amber but then another monster Hegarty score hit back.

When Hawk-Eye confirmed yet another Hegarty score from under the Hogan Stand, Limerick were 1-12 to 0-9 ahead and 25-minutes played.

Captain Declan Hannon and Kyle Hayes scores maintained that six point advantage to 1-15 to 0-12 and half time still five minutes away.

Kilkenny did find three of the final five points in the half - Padraig Walsh with two.

Down the other end, Dan Morrissey and Flanagan saw out the first half scoring for Limerick in front of a full house attendance in Croke Park. 

Hayes and Gillane had six points back between the teams within two minutes of the restart.

Then Billy Ryan crashed home a Kilkenny goal for an early second half tonic for the Leinster champions.

And, they were not finished - Martin Keoghan goaled in the 11th minute of the half.

Sub John Donnelly pointed and the final was level for the first time - 2-19 to 1-22 and 12-minutes played in the new half.

Limerick needed to respond and respond they did with the next three points - Tom Morrissey (2) and Byrnes from a free.

That left the final, Limerick 1-25 Kilkenny 2-19, with 15-minutes to play.

Back came the cats with sub Richie Hogan among the scorers to level the contest for a second time, 2-23 to 1-26 on 62-minutes.

Again Limerick responded with the next five points. Subs Cathal O'Neill and Conor Boylan with crucial points.

Soon it was a five point lead and four minutes of injury time left.

Brian Cody's side didnt throw in the towel and rallied again with all five substitutes now on their scoresheet but Limerick had the winning margin in place to ensure Croke Park erupted in green at the final whistle.

SCORERS: Limerick: Gearoid Hegarty 1-5, Aaron Gillane 0-7 (4frees), Diarmaid Byrnes 0-5 (3frees, 1 '65), Kyle Hayes and Tom Morrissey 0-4 each, Seamus Flanagan 0-2, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey, Cathal O'Neill and Conor Boylan 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-8 (8frees), Martin Keoghan 1-1, Adrian Mullen 0-4, Billy Ryan 1-0, Padraig Walsh and Paddy Deegan 0-2 each, Eoin Cody, Richie Reid, Mikey Carey, Walter Walsh, John Donnelly, Richie Hogan, Tommy Walsh, Alan Murphy and David Blanchfield 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid (Effin); Sean Finn (Bruff), Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Barry Nash (South Liberties); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Declan Hannon (Adare), Dan Morrissey (Ahane); William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), Darragh O'Donovan (Doon); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Tom Morrissey (Ahane); Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock). Subs: Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh) for Graeme Mulcahy (48mins), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for Darragh O'Donovan (51mins), Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Seamus Flanagan (59mins), Cathal O'Neill (Crecora-Manister) for Tom Morrissey (63mins). 

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy (Glenmore); Mikey Butler (O'Loughlin Gaels), Huw Lawlor (O'Loughlin Gaels), Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan); Mikey Carey (Young Irelands), Richie Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale), Paddy Deegan (O'Loughlin Gaels); Cian Kenny (James Stephens), Conor Browne (James Stephens); TJ Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale), Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan), Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan); Eoin Cody (Shamrocks Ballyhale), Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan), Adrian Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale). Subs: Walter Walsh (Tullogher-Rosbercon) for Cian Kenny (h-t), John Donnelly (Thomastown) for Padraig Walsh (46mins), David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge) for Conor Browne (52mins), Richie Hogan (Danesfort) for Eoin Cody (58mins), Alan Murphy (Glenmore) for Paddy Deegan (71mins).

REFEREE: Colm Lyons (Cork).