Cats not the team of old but winning is in their DNA
Yesterday’s clash at GAA headquarters was a man’s game. There was no touch-button hurling, no tactics. This was pure man-to-man hurling, the game played the way it should be. You took possession and you expected a hit. If you didn’t have the sliotar you gave a hit. It was real raw hurling. Each and every player left it all on the field. The 2014 hurling championship came alive under the floodlights of Croke Park.
When analysing this game there will be no need for pointless talk of tactics, hurlers running into open space, the sweeper, the extra man. There was none of this on display at Croke Park. Take Eoin Larkin’s goal as a prime example. A long delivery, a superb flick. Goal.
Departing from Croke Park I took a fair bit of stick from the Kilkenny faithful — all good humoured of course. I tipped Limerick to prevail because up to yesterday I hadn’t been convinced by the Kilkenny of 2014. Their performances were not a patch on the displays churned out in 2012.
One facet of this Kilkenny team that I had not questioned, however, and indeed a facet of Cody’s teams going back through the years that you could never question, was their heart and commitment.
It was their heart which saw them over the line here. Added to that, the strength of their bench was crucial.
Richie Power changed this game when sprung from the bench on 54 minutes. How Cody left it that long to bring him in I simply do not know. Moreover, had he been left in waiting any longer and Kilkenny lost this game as a result there would have been a serious gnashing of teeth in the Marble County this morning. It was so blatantly obvious that the Kilkenny inside line were struggling. Cody will have some job picking a team for the final that doesn’t include the Carrickshock forward.
The main factor in Kilkenny’s inside struggles was the heroic performance of Seamus Hickey. At the other end, Paul Murphy was similarly colossal. Two finer corner-back displays on the one afternoon I have not witnessed in quite a while. For Hickey, it was a marvellous showing given the injury setbacks he encountered in recent years.
For Limerick, they died with their boots on. More importantly, they performed.
Little consolation, I know, but at least everything was left on the pitch. There were no ifs or buts as the team bus pulled out from underneath the Hogan Stand last night. The ghosts of 2013 have been laid to rest, even if their wait to return to the decider lingers on.
One man who had a couple of ghosts to exorcise was Shane Dowling. Shane was super and really gave JJ Delaney a torrid time. The amount of full-forwards who have gone in to contend with JJ and left with their tail between their legs in endless. He showed JJ absolutely no respect.
Graeme Mulcahy performed also. Dowling, Hannon and Mulcahy were the three Limerick forwards who consistently stuck their heads above the parapet. Their one collective failure though, was raising a green flag.
At the other end, I firmly believe Kilkenny’s first goal turned this game. Richie Hogan shipped a very heavy tackle and still managed to stay upright, set off and get his strike away. Kilkenny so badly needed that score. The Cats had been outplayed in the opening 35 minutes and yet headed down the tunnel with a two-point advantage. How that must have hurt Limerick.
Kilkenny managed only 1-4 in the second period and, aside from Colin Fennelly, their forwards really did find the going tough. No doubt about it that Power should have got a penalty when hauled to the floor late on.
By this juncture every score was of premium importance. Limerick were now straining to find the target. Every time a green shirt fielded possession inside the Kilkenny half, a host of black and amber jerseys swarmed to close attention. Textbook Kilkenny. The Kilkenny of old.
Looking down at TJ Ryan upon the final whistle his devastation was all too evident. He can take pride in having prepared this team perfectly. They performed, but against Kilkenny that is often not enough.
TJ Ryan had a difficult start to the year, but I hope he is still donning the bainisteoir’s bib in 2015. I would urge the Limerick board to give TJ a second year.
Parting words to Kilkenny. They are most definitely not the team of old. Two goals at the most opportune time swung the verdict in their favour. Far from vintage Kilkenny and yet they are back in the September showpiece.
That in itself is the sign of a class act.
