Limerick whip up a frenzy

The clock read 58 minutes when thousands of jubilant Limerick supporters, having rolled down from the Ryan and Kinane Stands, occupied every blade of grass on either sideline at Semple Stadium.

The scoreline read Limerick 0-22, Wexford 1-7. The county had waited 13 years for an All-Ireland hurling crown. The final few minutes would prove the longest. Gardaí and stewards were forced inside the whitewash in the final minutes to prevent Treaty supporters from encroaching the pitch. Indeed, when Diarmaid Byrnes scored his second point, several green-clad fans reached out to offer their congratulations, as the captain returned to his right half-back berth.

Three more points would follow from Cian Lynch, Peter Casey and Tom Morrissey, before Johnny Ryan’s whistle sounded. Semple Stadium descended into a sea of green within seconds. John Kiely’s young masters had raged the perfect storm in front of 18,554 souls, 13 years of hurt and disappointment ended by an hour of complete hurling.