Limerick secure the three-in-row with dream day in the sun

Gearóid Hegarty of Limerick in action against Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny the All-Ireland final at Croke Park

All-Ireland SHC final

Limerick 1-31 

Kilkenny 2-26 

Limerick have entered the history books, becoming only the fourth county to claim the All-Ireland SHC three-in-a-row, with this epic win over Kilkenny at a sweltering Croke Park.

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.

Two early second half goals by Kilkenny helped to bring them within a point of Limerick. Billy Ryan struck first in the 38th minute. Walter Walsh had made a purposeful solo run and squared the ball, Martin Keoghan helped it along and Ryan did the rest.

Before Keoghan turned scorer in the 47th minute, Limerick were four to the good. TJ Reid caught and turned, he fed Eoin Cody who flashed the ball across where Keoghan duly finished to the net.

Kilkenny substitutes, Walsh and Richie Hogan, twice levelled the game in the following 16 minutes but crucially never went ahead. Hogan’s score again triggered Limerick into action and scores followed from Kyle Hayes, Cathal O’Neill, Conor Boylan and Aaron Gillane (free) and Gearóid Hegarty. Once more, Limerick had not panicked.

Limerick aren’t known for their blistering starts but like the semi-final they were firing from the outset and had 1-2 on the board inside the first six minutes before Kilkenny had registered their opening score.

The goal from Gearóid Hegarty was as good as his green flag in the Munster final, partly for his power to create the space to take the shot but mostly for the quality of the strike into Eoin Murphy’s far corner.

Kilkenny settled and cut the gap to three points on a couple of occasions by the 14th minute.

However, Limerick twice restored their early five-point lead in the following six minutes and they went six up in the 26th minute when Hegarty brought his personal tally to 1-3.

TJ Reid finished the half with seven frees, having won a couple of them, and assisting a further three points but outside of him and Pádraig Walsh Kilkenny’s forwards didn't have a cutting edge. Limerick were happy to make tactical fouls to keep them at bay but Nickie Quaid wasn’t troubled.

Credit to the Leinster champions, they brought it within four going into the break, 1-17 to 0-16, but it had felt like they were hanging on Limerick’s coattails.

Scorers for Limerick: G. Hegarty (1-5); A. Gillane (0-7, 3 frees); D. Byrnes (0-5, 3 frees, 1 65); T. Morrissey, K. Hayes (0-4 each); S. Flanagan (0-2); D. Hannon, D. Morrissey, C. O’Neill, C. Boylan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilkenny: T.J. Reid (0-9, frees); M. Keoghan (1-1); B. Ryan (1-0); A. Mullen (0-3); P. Deegan, P. Walsh (0-2 each); E. Cody, R. Reid, M. Carey, W. Walsh, J. Donnelly, R. Hogan, T. Walsh, A. Murphy, D. Blanchfield (0-1 each).

LIMERICK: N. Quaid; S. Finn, M. Casey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, D. Hannon (c), D. Morrissey; W. O’Donoghue, D. O’Donovan; G. Hegarty, K. Hayes, T. Morrissey; S. Flanagan, A. Gillane, G. Mulcahy.

Subs for Limerick: P. Casey for G. Mulcahy (49); D. Reidy for D. O’Donovan (52); C. Boylan for S. Flanagan (60); C. O’Neill for T. Morrissey (64).

KILKENNY: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, T. Walsh; M. Carey, R. Reid (c), P. Deegan; C. Kenny, C. Browne; A. Mullen, P. Walsh, E. Cody; T.J. Reid, M. Keoghan, B. Ryan.

Subs for Kilkenny: C. Fogarty for C. Browne (temp 17-25); J. Donnelly for P. Walsh (47); D. Blanchfield for C. Browne (53); R. Hogan for E. Cody (59).

Referee: C. Lyons (Cork).