Cian Lynch: Penalties no way to decide 'instinctive art form' like hurling

Lynch said that even if he had been on the pitch, he would probably not have taken a penalty in the Munster final shootout against Cork. 

Cian Lynch would have preferred a replay over a penalty shootout in the Munster final. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

As a losing captain, Cian Lynch is careful not to show disrespect to Cork but he didn’t think penalties was an appropriate way of deciding Saturday’s Munster SHC final.

If it’s any help, Galway’s Fintan Burke chimes in to support Limerick’s two-time hurler of the year but for Lynch penalties just ain’t hurling.

“Look, it's something to obviously review,” says the Patrickswell man. “Penalties… like, hurling is so instinctive. It's an art form, it's an expression. Why do people play it? It's because it's a 15-man game. It's a chance to have a man on the shoulder to support.

“But when it comes to penalties, other than the five guys and the goalie, I suppose you’re helpless standing on the sideline watching. It's tough for guys, but it is what it is.” 

With a wound over his left eye, Lynch was off the field and replaced by Diarmaid Byrnes so wasn’t available to be a penalty shooter. He doubts he would have been approached by John Kiely to step up anyway.

“If you were asked to take one, I'm sure 100% you'd do anything you can to help the team, but I wouldn't be someone that's known to stand over a free or a penalty, to be honest with you.

“Obviously, our guys, the five Limerick lads, the same as Cork obviously and Nickie [Quaid] to step up, that takes some courage. After playing 70 to 90 minutes of hurling, to have it based on standing over a penalty, that is tough. That is some responsibility.” 

Lynch admits not knowing how the game would be decided after the sides couldn’t be separated after extra-time. “I suppose in my own head initially, you think there's going to be an extra five minutes each half. Because that's the way it was before, wasn't it? But I suppose when it's said it's penalties, you just accept that and that's obviously the way it is.” 

Would Lynch have taken another day out in Cork going into that penalty shootout?

“Yeah, of course you would. Sure you love playing the sport. I suppose there are pros and cons to either.

“I suppose it's not for me to make a point or make a comment on what's the right thing to do but you'd love to have another crack at it. Any team would. But for us, it's just about accepting that that's in the past now. We unfortunately didn't win and Cork did.” 

St Thomas’s man Burke had a penalty saved but came out of the right side of a shootout in an All-Ireland semi-final win over Ballygunner in December 2023. He prefers a second bite of the cherry.

“If you win, great, and if you lose, it's the worst thing in the world. We had played Ballygunner two years ago and obviously delighted we won, but at the same time I'd be of the opinion of replay.

“I don't think penalties are a fair reflection on where a team is at, as in you could have five great penalty takers and maybe the other team only has three, and it's not really reflecting on hurling throughout the team.

“People just think you're standing up hitting a shot, but you’ve to put so much energy in and it's probably a lot more mentally you're exhausted and you have to walk the 60 yards then on your own and there's a lot going through your mind.

“People just at home, a lot of people and a lot of hurlers on the ditch just see a lad walking up taking a 21, they think it's nothing, but there's a lot more going on obviously inside the lad's head that's taking it and there's a lot more like the pressure of a Munster final in penalties is very hard for the taker.” 

As novel and unusual as the finish was, Lynch fully accepts Limerick were beaten. “No, it's still a defeat. Obviously, you look at the time played and so on, neither team won and it went to penalties and that's just the way it was.

“You obviously are disappointed. You see an opposition collecting a trophy and celebrating with their fans and stuff. That's tough to take. You just have to dust yourself off, regroup, process that feeling and try to drive on again.”