During his victorious address, Declan Hannon showed humility and succinctness. After the required formalities, he expressed their full commitment to the upcoming six weeks, causing no one to scramble for a schedule. The semi-finals are scheduled in a month’s time, and they are justified in their lofty ambitions.
Both Hannon, Nickie Quaid, and Graeme Mulcahy received their seventh Munster medal, marking the high point of careers that began when Limerick’s performance was inconsistent at best. This current Limerick team is severed from their distressing heritage. They have created a fresh chapter.
Previous generations of Limerick players and fans often found Munster finals to be a scorching ordeal. Today, however, they have evolved into a source of joy. On Sunday, their performance exuded a dominative aura. Clare dominated for a quarter of an hour but fell behind for sixty minutes. The excitement remains as vibrant as ever.
John Kiely conveyed the sentiment, shared by him and Paul Kinnerk, “It can be nerve-racking standing on the edge of a Munster final in Thurles, feeling a knot in your stomach. We observed such moments in our childhood, never envisaging our involvement in them one day. We need to remind ourselves occasionally that these are monumental opportunities to be involved in, let alone several times after the first.”
“We need to treasure each of these events, because the last time may come unexpectedly. We cherish and understand the monumental significance of being part of an extraordinary sporting event. We are grateful that we delivered a performance that encapsulated that significance today.”
John Kiely, based on experience but without providing specific numbers, couldn’t confirm whether this was Limerick’s premier performance of the season; however, not everything can be determined by raw data. Clare has been Limerick’s most challenging adversary in the past three years and required a performance of intensity unlike other games. They showcased all their elements: strength, precision, aerial superiority, and sheer aggression. Returning to their core values.
No one truly gave much thought about six consecutive Munster titles until the final became a reality two weeks ago. There has been much chatter about a potential five sequential All-Irelands since their fourth victory in July. It seems they possess solutions for everything.
Kiely illuminated on the topic, “The chatter about the five consecutive victories has existed for a while. However, they are simply numbers when all is said and done. They held no weight before and shall remain insignificant post this day. What truly matters for us is our own pursuits. We are cognizant of this internal motivation and driving force. It is our obsession and will remain so relentlessly.
“We are ecstatic to have clinched the title. The year 2024 marks the end of one chapter, namely the Munster championship. We are elated with the result. It signifies a great deal to us. Yet, we acknowledge that another chapter has been unveiled. We shall strive tirelessly towards achieving even loftier ambitions.”
For the third consecutive season, Clare faces the All-Ireland quarter-final with only a fortnight of rest. Likely, their opponents are Wexford, who almost secured a win against them two seasons back when Clare was still reeling from the Munster final.
Unfortunately, their performance in yesterday’s match did not match the caliber of their previous two Munster finals. A breathtaking goal by Peter Duggan leveled the scores just before halftime, but they had initially borne the brunt of the forces in the game. By Brian Lohan’s estimate, it was a “four or a five-point breeze”. As the game progressed, the forces seemed to only strengthen, and Clare found it challenging to outdo the barricade of Limerick players.
Despite the negative outcome, Lohan stated, “Although we are disappointed, we must also acknowledge the strength of our opponent. Despite our disappointment, our players have shown resilience and make us proud. But now that the competition has concluded, we’d transition into a new one. We’ve tasted defeat against this same team before, and we were able to overcome it.”
No other options exist.