Brian Gavin: Colm Lyons enjoys perfect finish to mixed year for refs

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

17 July 2022; Referee Colm Lyons during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

What a great day in every way. Weather-wise, hurling-wise, officiating-wise. It just seems so strange that on the hottest day of the year and in mid-July that the inter-county season is now all over. I’m not going to get into a rant about the split season. It has been introduced for the right reasons but driving to Dublin for the game it felt so peculiar to think it was all going to end soon.

Hats off to Limerick on another great display in an All-Ireland final and commiserations to Kilkenny. Had it been any other team Limerick were facing in this final, I’m convinced the defeat would have been 10 points larger.