It’s fascinating to watch as Limerick’s operations steadily regenerate during the league, and one can’t help but speculate where it might lead them. They haven’t made themselves as blatantly evident as a league team under John Kiely’s leadership as Kilkenny did during their reign. But, resembling Brian Cody’s squads, Limerick’s rhythm and potential league victories are uniquely their own patterns.
Interestingly, Kiely has clinched the same tally of three titles in his initial seven years as Cody, a feat that might be equalled if a fourth is won, mirroring Kilkenny’s achievement.
What truly intrigues is the drastically transformed hurling landscape compared to twenty years back. The combination of round-robin provincial championships and split season plans have limits the gap between the end of regular league matches and the onset of an exceptionally intense championship. In the past two years as these conditions have stood, Waterford and Limerick have secured the hurling league.
However, the aftermath has raised concerns regarding the wisdom of claiming the spring prize. Waterford, after defeating Cork, was expected to be the key Limerick competitor. Still, they failed to pass the Munster round robin stage, losing to Limerick, Cork, and Clare.
The scrutinising analysis focused on the league’s deceptive nature to the point where the victory, which was their fourth, seemed like a driving factor. With Limerick’s fortune last year raising eyebrows as the county capped off the season with just the third All-Ireland four-in-a-row in hurling history.
The champions have never been as susceptible as they were during the provincial round robin series, winning less than half of their games. In the final, they narrowly outperformed Cork, and a loss would have resulted in their departure from the championship. They persisted, defeated Clare narrowly, and ensured Limerick’s direct advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
This leads to the query; did the league obstruct their round-robin championship performance, or did they simply accomplish what was necessary to continue?
The conclusion of the analysis is always determined by the result. Limerick accomplished what they deemed necessary throughout various parts of the season, demonstrating that the league neither solidifies nor undermines All-Ireland ambitions.
This was evidenced before by Kilkenny; winning it hinted at double glory, reflecting their supremacy. Conversely, a loss sometimes cast a shadow on that year’s title.
Although Galway took the trophy in 2004, they were resoundingly defeated by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland qualifiers. They’ve failed to secure the league finals twice, with Waterford defeating them in 2007 though they failed to clinch the All-Ireland. A year later, Kilkenny’s triumph so dominated that it made their previous victory against Galway look like a nail-biter.
In 2011, Dublin celebrated a momentous victory against Kilkenny in the league final. However, by the Leinster final, victory seemed beyond reach. Both times, victory in the Liam MacCarthy fell to Kilkenny.
In summary, the league represented precisely what Kilkenny aimed it to be.
However, Limerick’s journey differed. Without an All-Ireland under their belt for 45 years before their ultimate victory, their start point stands in contrast to Kilkenny’s consistent wins. Various factors including COVID disruptions and the subsequent challenge – though unaccepted – of competing in a league after an All-Ireland win in December further diversified their journey.
Yet, Limerick found solace in their own rhythm throughout the league and championship, leading them to secure all their matches this year. Their resounding victory over Tipperary magnified the anticipation for the upcoming championship.
For other teams, the league’s significance varies. This year has been marked by exceptional competitiveness, owing to the availability of spots in an enhanced Division 1A.
Clare stands as the only team that has given Limerick a run for their money, having occupied the top spot in the Munster round robin for the past two years. Despite the harsh landscape in Croke Park and Kilkenny, Brian Lohan’s team have shown unyielding resilience, avoiding defeat from Limerick in the round robin matches during the past two years.
In this season, the focus has been on assessing several potential stars with an aim to bolster squad strength, and so far, it’s been a winning streak. Tipperary couldn’t come any closer against Limerick than they did on a weekend clash in Cork, and currently seem ensnared in what appears to be a harsh dominance by the reigning champions.
Given their impending game against Limerick and Tipperary’s match against Antrim, who haven’t scored any points yet, Galway’s chances of reaching the semi-finals seem bleak.
Wexford’s performances have fluctuated quite a bit. A couple of years ago, they emerged victorious in all their group matches, only for Waterford to crush them in the semi-finals. However, they did show commendable performance in the All-Ireland quarter-finals by beating Kilkenny at Nowlan Park.
Contrarily, last year they had a disastrous league season which was followed by an equally poor championship. It suggests that the current winning streak – with the game against Cork up next – is certainly more favourable than the previous year’s disappointing outcomes, which demanded another victory over Kilkenny to avoid slipping into the McDonagh Cup.
While the significance of the league to winning the All-Ireland may completely rely on Limerick’s judgement, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of it elevating spirits. Seven counties can look forward to a revitalising summer season.