All-Ireland final day diary: News, notes and quotes
SHARP EXCHANGE: RTÉ hurling pundits Dónal Óg Cusack and Joe Canning at Croke Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"The last two years were really difficult to take." John Kiely's post-final sentiments to RTÉ were informative for the fact that player after Limerick player touched the same sores in the wake of Sunday's success. "It's been a long three years," said the impressive Gearóid Hegarty to RTÉ's post-match coverage. Even with six of the last nine Liam MacCarthys annexed, the voracious appetite of Kiely's group was self-evident.
"I'm not gonna lie, we became used to coming up here," said Hegarty. "The margins are so small, you are 1% off and you are exposed," he said.
On the BBC coverage, coverage turned to Kiely and 2027, notwithstanding his operational duties for the Adare Ryder Cup. "Number one, I won't be driving any major programme at Adare," he said. "There's a huge organisation looking after that. It's been a privilege for me to look after this group, lead this group and lead them along the road, and contribute in some small way but for the moment, this is about savouring the work and success of the last three years really because it has been very difficult. We really, really left no stone unturned."
He was a county championship-winning hurler himself, and the proud holder of four All-Ireland football medals with Kerry. So when Paul Galvin suggests that this Limerick hurling group 'might be my favourite team ever to watch', it amounts to quite the weighty statement. Posted the Lixnaw man: "Operating in flow state again. Adam English man of the match for me so far. Caroline Currid woman of the match."
Journo at The 42, Fintan O'Toole also noted that 11 of the Limerick players remain involved from the 2017 final loss to Kilkenny almost a decade ago - Nickie Quaid, Sean Finn, the Casey and Morrissey brothers, Cian Lynch, Darragh O'Donovan, Kyle Hayes, Gearoid Hegarty and Barry Nash. Four others, Diarmuid Byrnes, Will O'Donoghue, Aaron Gillane and David Reidy are on board since 2018.
At Congress earlier this year, GAA president Jarlath Burns opened up the debate for the All-Ireland finals being pushed into August before he withdrew the motion as it faced certain doom.
Munster GAA recently indicated they want to see the inter-county season finished in the eighth month of the year but in his programme notes yesterday Burns seemed to shut the door on the idea.
"Lengthening the season does not create more freedom," he wrote. "It means more collective training, more evenings away from home and less time for family, friends and a life beyond the county team.
"These men are not professional performers whose seasons can simply be extended to satisfy the appetite of an audience. They have jobs to return to on Monday morning, families who have made sacrifices alongside them and clubs waiting for them when their county journey ends. And there is rarely a holiday the end of it."
It's become a bit of an anorak's sleuth. Images of leading managers and coaches with their notes and clipboards aren't just pre-match fodder for the super-curious. They're insights into how the game's elite think and operate. Hence there was unusual scrutiny of John Kiely's arrival Sunday in the Croke Park tunnel, captured by Sportsfile snapper Stephen McCarthy, hoping that the zoom function might reveal key pre-match strategic insights for the would-be champions.
Not so much this time. Kiely's diary of the day revealed only what one would expect from a robustly-detailed game day plan - a meeting with the forwards, discussion on breaks, a chat with S&C leader Adrian O'Brien, and then a tick-tock on the clar an lae with red carpet, handshakes and national anthems. Rivals may have to quarry a little deeper, or call in the Southampton lads, for a real look under the All-Ireland champions' bonnet.
Some counties who come up shy on All-Ireland final day sack off a homecoming. Not Galway. The County Council confirmed that a homecoming event for the hurlers will take place at The Fairgreen, Ballinasloe, on Monday. The Fairgreen will be opened to the public from 2pm, with the team expected later in the day.
Council chair Andrew Reddington said: I encourage supporters from across Galway to come along, wear the maroon and white, and join together to show their appreciation and support for the players and management.”
Parking will be available at the Ballinasloe Mart, the Showgrounds, Coral Leisure Centre and Tesco. Further details on the homecoming event will be shared on Galway County Council’s social media channels.
Limerick went home the night of their last All-Ireland success but they decided to stay in Dublin this time around and will visit Crumlin's Children Hospital on Monday morning. They will then head to Limerick city's Pery Square for a homecoming Monday evening. Catriona Tierney will host the event and music will be provided by DJ Mark McCabe, singer Gearoid McCarthy, and special guests.
It might not have been Ladies Day at Croke Park but two of the loudest acclamations from the 82,300 sellout crowd at the SHC final were for a pair of standout female high achievers. Pre-game, Irish Olympic athlete Ciara Mageean was introduced to the crowd and to a rapturous welcome as much for her stoicism in the face of serious health challenges as for her exploits on the track. After the final, the 'mother' to Limerick's hurlers, sports psychologist Caroline Currid attracted one of the loudest cheers of final day when her charm and skillset were lauded by Treaty skipper Cian Lynch.
Donal Óg Cusack divides opinion for sure, and he shouldn't have swung at a pitch in the dirt from Tribe legend Joe Canning after Cork's semi-final loss to Galway. All is (meant to be) fair in love and loss but Cusack wasn't for letting the hype trains gag float off in the wind when the pair matched up suited and booted on Sunday with Joanne Cantwell. Rubbing salt into Galway's final undressing, Donal Óg rekindled their semi-final tango with Canning with a post-drubbing rabbit punch "I won't be taking any cheap shots here in terms of the opposition because I don't think it's the right thing to do. Galway have been beaten by some of the greatest players we've ever seen."
No, not the right thing to do.
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