John Kiely spoke with pride about the performance of his Limerick team in the 2024 championship, stating they exit with heads held high, despite falling short in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final versus Cork. The loss signifies the termination of Limerick’s quest for an unrivalled fifth successive Liam MacCarthy Cup win, yet the team was unwavering in their effort until the last second at Croke Park.
Kiely conveyed immense pride for his team and their contributions throughout 2024, emphasising they worked relentlessly, bypassing no opportunity or challenge. He asserted, with assurance, they carry no regrets from the experience, regardless of the eventual outcome.
Injuries were an inescapable part of the campaign, but they’re common to any team. Despite this, Kiely maintained faith in his players’ ability to rise to the occasion, even though they fell slightly short in the end.
According to Kiely, the deciding factor of Sunday’s match was the teams’ precision at scoring – the game ended with Limerick missing 14 opportunities while Cork only missed 10. Despite feeling letdown for his players who had exerted tremendous effort, he recognised that an improvement in efficiency could have changed the result.
He lauded Cork for their superior efficiency and incredible shooting, especially their consistent scoring from the sidelines. He offered his congratulations to Cork, wishing both them and Clare good luck in the final.
He also addressed the narrative of Limerick’s potential five-win streak that surrounded the season. Kiely insisted that the possibility of making history did not influence the team and it was never a burden. “We felt unrestricted all year,” he added.
The 2024 championship was a fervent pursuit for us. When the team has been on a winning streak for as long as ours, it’s inevitable that the opposition will try to outdo us. That’s just the nature of the game.
However, it’s significant to point out that we did give ourselves a chance to take home the victory. It wasn’t that we didn’t have the potential to win today’s match. Had we lost by a 10-point margin, it would indicate that we weren’t even giving ourselves a chance at victory. There were moments when we could’ve scaled the victory by two or three points, but alas, we didn’t. It’s just how the game ended, and this in no way burdens our spirit.
The past year spent together as a team was indeed a delightful experience for us all. We made a conscious attempt to not pressurise ourselves, aiming to relish the entire season, and we indeed did so. I firmly believe that the team carries no mental baggage, be it from today’s game or any previous one. Their performance today, I believe, speaks volumes in that respect.