Anthony Daly: Limerick still kingpins but does All-Star breakdown reflect closing gap?
GAP CLOSING?: Limerick's Gearoid Hegarty celebrates a late score for his side in the final. File pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Limerick are still the top dogs but, in a discreet kind of way, the seven All-Stars they secured also tells you that they’re not the same untouchables that they appeared to be in 2021. This time last year, they bagged 12 awards. And nobody would have lost the rag if that number had even been higher.
This year, Limerick could legitimately claim to have deserved eight but, either way, seven or eight feels right, in the same way the dozen gongs reflected their dominance last year. Limerick are still the best team out there. But the gap appears to be closing.
That was reflected throughout the championship when they drew with Clare twice in normal time before scraping past Galway and being pushed to the limit against Kilkenny. On the other hand, Limerick were missing last year’s Hurler-of-the-Year in Cian Lynch, along with Peter Casey, another All-Star in 2021. So does that rebalance this debate? If they can win the All-Ireland effectively without those two star players this year, what might they be capable off next year?
Of course, it’s all only conjecture, just like the All-Stars are every year. For me, there were only two marginal calls, the biggest talking point of which is the omission of Seán Finn. Mikey Butler was outstanding but could the selectors have found a place for him elsewhere?
Butler did play a lot of his hurling away from corner-back, especially in the Leinster final when he was tracking Cathal Mannion, and when he was chained to Tony Kelly in the All-Ireland semi-final. Huw Lawlor and Padraig Mannion both had a brilliant season but you could also argue that Finn had too. He may have been overshadowed by Barry Nash but Nash was on the shortlist for Hurler-of-the-Year.
The only other contentious decision was Conor Whelan. He was Galway’s go-to guy but it’s still hard to say if Whelo was better than any of the other six forwards. You will have lads saying that Tony was poor against Kilkenny, and below-par for 50 minutes against Wexford, but you can’t discount his performances in Munster when TK was out of this world.
As a Clareman, it’s brilliant for us to get three awards. I remember in 1998 when we didn’t reach the All-Ireland final and we got four – Jamesie O’Connor, Seánie McMahon, Ollie Baker and myself.
That was a unique year in that we played six games, including the three-game saga against Offaly in the semi-final, but it was a huge honour for the group to end up with that many awards. I’m sure Brian Lohan will be looking to tap into that confidence now and bring it into next season. It’s a huge boost for morale, especially when the season ended on such a sour note after losing so heavily to Kilkenny.
I’m delighted for all three, particularly for David Fitzgerald and Shane O’Donnell, who are winning their first award. Fitzy had a brilliant season while Shane’s performances were a testament to his immense character and willpower, especially when we weren’t even sure if we’d see him back in a Clare jersey again. Shane didn’t play a minute in last year’s campaign after suffering a horrendous concussion before the championship.
It’s also a timely boost for Shane after his club Eire Óg lost last week’s county final by a point in heartbreaking circumstances. The award is also a nice distraction for Fitzy ahead of tomorrow’s county football final for Ennistymon, who play Eire Óg.
Apart from Finn and Whelan, the rest of the team effectively picked itself. Nickie Quaid and Eoin Murphy are the two best keepers in the country at the moment and, while you could have made a strong case for Murph, nobody will dispute the nod being given to Nickie. Murph may be the better shot-stopper but Quaid has become Limerick’s orchestrator.
That’s saying something on a team defined by leaders and key strategic thinkers but having so many players that match that profile adds to Limerick’s greatness. It’s what made Kilkenny so dominant for so long and it’s what has transformed Limerick into the machine they have now become.
This year, that machine had Diarmaid Byrnes mostly at the steering wheel. TJ Reid has cemented his greatness as one of the greatest players of all time, but Byrnes was the undisputed Hurler-of-the-Year. As well as being a colossus all season, Byrnes took long-range freetaking to a new level altogether.
Limerick though, are taking the game to new heights with each passing year. Teams may be getting closer. They may be down five awards compared to last year but that still doesn’t dilute the grip they now have on the game. Of the last 45 All-Star hurling awards, Limerick have bagged 28 of them, which amounts to 62%.
Suddenly, seven has a different context.
