Limerick hurlers knitting magical patterns

MY mother was a fantastic knitter. I remember the rhythmic see-sawing of her knitting needles, the balls of wool, the variety of stitches – plain, purl, crew and rib – and how she’d glance from time to time at the pattern, usually taken from Woman’s Way magazine.

Gradually, a jumper sleeve or a sock would start to emerge, like magic. I’d watch, transfixed. I even got Mam to teach me how to knit.

But as with my other childhood passion, hurling, I didn’t progress very far. I only got as far as the simpler plain and purl stitches, and dropped quite a few in my efforts to master the craft.

All those childhood memories came flooding back as I sat in the Hogan Stand in Croke Park two weeks ago watching my native Limerick do battle with Waterford for a place in the All Ireland hurling final.

It was the sheer class of the Limerick players, stitching their own kind of intricate patterns with hurley and hand-pass, culminating in glorious scores from every angle of the pitch, that reminded me of my late mother’s genius.

These are giddy, pinch-me days for every Limerick hurling fan. We’re simply not used to sitting atop this pinnacle of greatness. After a 45 year famine, we now find ourselves winning our third hurling title in just four years. 

What we now have, however, is a once-in-a-generation hurling squad, which is setting a new benchmark for skill, athleticism and tenacity in our ancient game.

There isn’t a weak link in the team. From Nickie Quaid in goal to Aaron Gillane in the top corner, they are all superb hurlers. Last year’s stand-out performers, Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey were back to their mercurial best in the semi-final.

Super-cool Cian Lynch continues to display his hurling wizardry, while Seamus Flanagan, at full-forward, seems to have found a radar-guided hurley, such is his accuracy. And presiding over this hurling orchestra of all the talents is the calm, determined captain, Declan Hannon.

“They’ll be some team if they can turn that around,” the man beside me said in Pairc Ui Caoimh last month. It was half time in the Munster final, which was being played in a sweltering heatwave.

Tipperary were leading by 10 points and playing majestically.

But turn it around Limerick did, eventually winning by five points. It was a breath-taking second-half display, embellished by one of the greatest goals ever scored in hurling.

Adding lustre for me was that the scorer was Kyle Hayes from my native parish of Kildimo-Pallaskenry.

 Along with Tipperary, Cork were the traditional kingpins of Munster hurling, with Limerick, Clare and Waterford being the poor relations.

There is a very keen, age-old rivalry between our neighbouring counties. And over the years we’ve taken many a heavy beating from Cork.

Another “first”, given the persistent shadow of Covid, was an attendance of 40,000 spectators.

Contrast that with last year’s final which was played in an empty stadium, less than two weeks before Christmas!
A kind of normality is gradually returning, and even if you’re not a diehard sports fanatic, Sunday's spectacle in Croke Park was worth celebrating for that reason alone.

One more thing. A century ago, the 1921 All-Ireland hurling title was won by Limerick, although the game wasn’t played until March 1923 due to the disruptions of the War of Independence and the Civil War.

And for that year’s victory, they became the first recipients of the famed Liam MacCarthy Cup, introduced back then by the GAA for the All Ireland winners.