Once Colm Lyons blew for full time in yesterday's All-Ireland final at Croke Park the curtain came down on the intercounty hurling season. Apart from its historic July finish, how will the 2022 be remembered? Our writers record the best and the worst of a year like no other. 

Lynch had been sparkling in training last Sunday morning when he suffered an ankle injury which kept him out of the decider against Kilkenny

In the most trying of conditions, Colm Lyons did a mighty job.

Player ratings from the 2022 All-Ireland final

A good start is half the battle Limerick's fast start gave them a vital platform and Kilkenny, for all of the guts and endeavour they showed throughout the rest of the game, never truly recovered from it.

An emphatic finish by John Kiely’s side, hitting five points in a row between the 64th and 70th minute, was enough to stymie Kilkenny. The Cats then hit back with three of their own but the damage had been done.

Can they create a category of their own? That’s a topic for next year. Enjoy this one first.

Kilkenny and Limerick boast strength and solidity across their starting XVs but the Examiner's experts take a deeper look at both line-ups (and sidelines) to see where Sunday's game may be won

The sides meet at GAA HQ tomorrow afternoon

The day after Kilkenny beat Clare, I received a message from a friend who is an officer in the Laois County Board. He hopped a neon ball: “Do you need a lift over to Cody’s house to apologize?” 

Another scroll through Kilkenny’s final history shows the county has won just one All-Ireland final - 1947 - when failing to raise a green flag.

I’ve said it here before that Limerick are a different team without Cian, and the news over the last few days of his ankle injury does alter the dynamic again.

Not one but three giant screens will be in place at the home of Limerick GAA where locals are invited to go and watch the decider against Kilkenny.

Who gets what dressing room? who are the officials? What brand of sliotar will be used on Sunday?

Limerick saw off a seasonal-high performance from Clare and a seasonal-high performance from Galway whereas Kilkenny beat an awful Galway and an awfuler Clare. Patently a far stronger line of form

Brian Cody has named the Kilkenny panel to take on Limerick in this Sunday's eagerly awaited All-Ireland hurling final

Limerick have named their 26 man panel to take on Kilkenny in this Sunday's eagerly awaited All-Ireland hurling final

There are reems of “stats” available, hours of clips highlighting players and tactics, but a coaching staff with two weeks to prepare need only know the essential information that shapes their final preparation. 

Having suffered "minor hardware failures" last Saturday which prompted the suspension of the score detection technology, the GAA have been convinced by tests carried out by the UK-based innovations company this past week.

The national forecaster has warned supporters to be vigilant in the hot weather on Sunday. 

Capturing the hurling zeitgeist this year is a pimped-up green and white van topped with a cat’s eyes in a reference to Kilkenny — Limerick's opponents on Sunday

The grand old duke who marched his county up to the top of the hill, marched them down again and now has them within 70 minutes of the summit once more

31 men have captained Kilkenny to its 36 senior titles. 21 of them are still with us. Nickey Orr is 1974’s figurehead, when Limerick were emphatically beaten.

The first one can be intimidating. Going from my own experience, for my first in 2009 I was pretty young and we were playing Kilkenny, who were going for four All-Irelands in a row...

Limerick will be looking to get more out of wing-forwards Tom Morrissey and Gearóid Hegarty on Sunday.

Former Limerick defender now leads the line and, finally injury-free, is relishing quarter-final showdown with Waterford 

'He’s a brilliant striker. He has become an absolute weapon for Limerick.'

Meanwhile the GAA will make a final decision on Friday about using HawkEye for the final

Dalo, TJ, Mark, Liam and Brian all look ahead to the showpiece event of the hurling year!

The Patrickswell star wouldn’t be the first hurler of the year to suffer a setback ahead of an All-Ireland final. 

'You see Cian [Lynch] going to midfield or centre-forward. It doesn't matter to him. That's the beauty of it. That's why they're so good,' Ryan said.

“I have got texts galore about that,” replied the Galway manager when asked about Hurson’s appointment and his club connections with Tally.

Lynch came off the bench in Limerick's semi-final win over Galway.

Kilkenny's biggest attribute is how Brian Cody refuses to bend the knee (or hand) for anyone. I have spoken about a team's belief in the system and process, but Kilkenny’s primary belief is in their manager

Tyrone's Seán Hurson will take charge of the All-Ireland senior football final between Kerry and Gaway on Sunday July 24

"There were nights when I was pacing the yard out the back, wondering, ‘Am I the right man for this job? Have I got the capacity to deliver what I would expect from myself?'"

Since the start of this 15-game unbeaten championship run in 2020, Limerick have been more methodical in their disemboweling of opponents.

Just when Cody thought he had seen everything, along comes the reality of Kilkenny being rank outsiders...

The Limerick squad are now better equipped to prepare for All-Irelands, experience does help, and they've got plenty of that

Altogether, a third of the Limerick team that started the All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway last Sunday week are emulating their fathers in wearing the green and white