We had been waiting all year for peak Limerick.
That it finally arrived on the biggest day was perhaps not a surprise, more so that Kilkenny were able to live with them for so long.
In a hurling final of superb quality there were 60 scores and just 20 wides (10 each) before Limerick edged it by two points to win their third All-Ireland title on the trot and fourth in five years.
"It's probably even a better performance than I'd hoped for to be honest with you," said beaming manager John Kiely.
"A huge challenge brought by Kilkenny. We played fantastic hurling but they still cropped up with quality scores themselves from the half-forward line, midfield. You could hardly believe there was only four points in it coming up to half-time. I was saying, 'God, all the hurling we have played and Kilkenny are still there'. There was nothing in it at half-time, absolutely nothing.
"They came strong in the second half even though we started quite well. They came strong then, brought a huge challenge, got a great goal. That was a massive question: How would we react to that goal? Our response was great, we got a good point shortly after. The lads coming off the bench made a huge impact, Cathal O'Neill, Conor Boylan, Peter Casey, David Reidy. They all made telling contributions."
John Kiely talks about how much it means to make history with Limerick and how the panel almost governs itself in setting standards. #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/A7pC6dpNZR
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 17, 2022
Kilkenny equalised for the second and final time through Richie Hogan in the 63rd minute. Kiely admitted he was thinking, 'Christ, what do we have to do to get away from these guys?' at this point.
"We were hurling well. We were winning puck-outs, creating scoring opportunities and yet they were still there. Obviously this was a key piece of the game now. Who was going to respond? Who was going to go into the ascendancy and dominate the next minutes of the game and create the next number of scoring chances and taking them. Ultimately we did. We found the resolve defensively and in attack."
Kiely highlighted his team's performance on Kilkenny's long puckouts, tenacity in the tackle and support running off the shoulder as key factors but declared that having battled several injuries, including to absent talisman Cian Lynch, "the most telling piece there today was the resilience that they showed when it mattered most.
"I thought our defence was resolute and showed a level of resilience that mirrored our season because we have had a really, really tough six months. We have had setback after setback after setback. I could list 20 significant events that occurred during the course of the six months that were a challenge to us. The lads showed incredible resilience to keep going.
"They refused to lose that game and no matter what they were going to win that ball in defence and bring it out. That was ultimate factor in the deciding of the game."
The 2022 All-Ireland SHC final man of the match is Gearoid Hegarty #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/58HH2GOtwF
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 17, 2022
The manager also hailed the impact of man of the match Gearóid Hegarty, who scored 1-05 from play, having being taken off with the semi-final against Galway in the melting pot.
"Gearóid was one of the guys that would have been very disappointed with his performance in the semi-final," said Kiely.
"He'd have been the first to put his hand up and say that. He was very honest in his work during the course of the last two weeks in training. He just knuckled down and didn't wallow in disappointment. He focused in on what he could do today and I think that's reflected in his performance.
"I'm delighted for him because he's had a couple of finals that he mightn't have been altogether happy with. 2018 he wasn't happy with. So I'm delighted he got that performance there today out of himself."
What did it mean to seal the three-in-a-row against Kilkenny, the last county to do it and only team to beat them in championship over the last four seasons?
"We have such respect for Kilkenny and what they’ve done, what Brian has done with the various groups he has had over the last 24 years.
"Their record is unparalleled and it will take generations for it to be anywhere chased by anybody, and it probably never will.
"We knew we were going to have to be at our absolute best if we were going to get the result we wanted today.
"To win any final is difficult, but you know the challenge that is going to come to you physically and tactically and in hurling terms, to be up to that is a tremendous achievement for our boys and that’s what makes it so special. This is really special."
