Limerick hurlers Nicky Quaid and Cian Lynch both paid tribute to their side's extended squad after they won the All-Ireland title on Sunday. 

John Kiely’s side dominated throughout in their showpiece final at Croke Park, running out 0-30 to 0-19 winners over Waterford in a game where they were never behind. 

Limerick’s tenth win in 10 competitive games in 2020 secures Liam MacCarthy for the second time in three years, matching the county’s previous best run achieved in 1934 and 1936. 

While there were no supporters in the stadium to witness the triumph, both Limerick and Waterford were able to bring their full extended panels with them to Croke Park and as Quaid explained, having their squad-mates in the stadium made a big difference.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland the Effin clubman said: "You have to try and create your own bit of energy off each other on the field and it was great that we got the extended panel players in yesterday because you could genuinely hear them in the stands when you got a score or did something well. 

"That kind of gave a boost to us as players and built our own little atmosphere.

"I suppose after the match it was a little bit strange when we couldn’t meet family and things like that but it was nice still to have that time just with the players. We’ve been in that little bubble the last number of months so it was nice to have that special time with each other after." 

Lynch echoed his team-mate's thoughts and he insisted that the victory belonged to every single member of the Limerick panel, whether they played in Croke Park or not.

"The only thing we’ve had is each other, the 36-man squad and the extended management team. To get though yesterday and to get what we’ve dreamt of as kids, and even after 2018 we kept dreaming that dream, so to get over that line yesterday was just absolutely unbelievable. 

"It goes back to the phrase we always use, 'the 36-man squad’. It’s not the 1-15 on the match day, it’s those guys who are up in the stand who can’t tog out, that push every one of us at every training.

"There’s only a puck of the ball between positions on the team and that’s why it’s a special group, all we’ve had the last few months is each other.

"To go out there yesterday and to see lads perform to the best of their ability and to achieve what they deserve to achieve and the sacrifices they’ve made. Over the last few months we’ve had to sacrifice meeting our local friends of the sake of our group, you had to hold yourself accountable basically. 

"To see everyone yesterday striving and reaching their goal, it’s actually heart-warming stuff."