John Kiely: It felt like our first Munster win

CLASS APART: Limerick manager John Kiely and the team celebrate. Pic: James Crombie, Inpho

John Kiely’s party piece is Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” but he was paraphrasing a Foreigner song in his post-match interview.

Kiely insisted the six-point margin at the end felt large but Limerick’s ability to replenish their appetite was evident yet again.

"Even though it was six in the finish, there was times when it could have drifted out and there were times when it could have shortened into one or two. I think it was down to four, they had a (Mark Rodgers) goal chance off the post, it could have gone to one.

“It was really, really tight when it boils down to it. A few small little pieces. Listen, delighted to get the win, clearly, and it felt like our first. That’s all I’ll say to you, it felt like our first.” 

After losing the last two finals to Limerick, Clare should have been the hungrier team but it was Kiely’s group. Why so? “I don’t know,” responded the Galbally man. “Listen, we just said it – myself and Paul (Kinnerk) to each before the game – you feel that edge and, I suppose, nervousness in the pit of your stomach that you should feel when you’re in Thurles for a Munster final.

“We grew up as children looking in on these occasions, never thinking we’d ever be involved in them. And we need to remind ourselves, from time to time, that these are just incredible occasions to be a part of.

“Once, let alone any other number of times after that. And we need to appreciate every single one of them, because you never know the time it’s going to be your last time there.

“We understand, and we appreciate, that this is an incredible piece of sport to be a part of. An occasion of sport to be a part of. I’m just glad we produced a performance worthy of it today.” 

Off the back of their reputations, off the back of this largest win over Clare since 2020, all chats will now turn from six-in-a-row to five. An All-Ireland semi-final on July 7 will be regarded as step one of two.

“Ah listen, the conversation has been there a long time,” said Kiely. “They’re numbers at the end of the day. They weren’t important coming in today; they’re not going to be important after today.

“What’s important for us is what we go after ourselves. We know that. Internally, those are the drivers, those are the motivating factors. They’re the things that we’re relentless to go after, and we’ll keep going after those relentlessly.

“We’re thrilled to have won it. It’s the end of that chapter for 2024, the Munster championship. We’re thrilled to have come out the right side of it. It means a huge amount to us.

“But we now know that we’re after opening another chapter, and now we have to embrace that and we have to go after that, and it will mean continued work, continued hard work, chasing even greater targets. Greater challenges coming at us from the opposition. And embracing that challenge that lies ahead.”