LIMERICK secured a third consecutive All-Ireland SHC title after defeating Kilkenny 1-31 to 2-26 at Croke Park.
The Treaty County took charge early on, hitting 1-02 without reply in the opening stages and dominated for long periods.
However, they were made to battle all the way by a tenacious Kilkenny side, who fought their way back into contention several times in the second half.
In his speech following his side's victory, captain Declan Hannon paid tribute to the determination of his teammates, saying he was 'proud and privileged' to play alongside them.
Declan Hannon paid tribute to his teammates after the win (Image: Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"We're running out of words to describe the lads for the effort, the commitment and the honesty that they show," said Hannon.
"They're just a very down-to-earth group of lads, they leave everything on the pitch.
"I'm so proud and privileged to be a part of you, you're a credit to your families and clubs and keep it going for the next number of years as well."
Superb start for Limerick
Limerick were seeking a third title in a row and a fourth in five years, however 36-time winners Kilkenny — seeking a first win since 2015 — stood in their way.
It was John Kiely's men who took control from the off, however, hitting 1-02 without reply.
Gearóid Hegarty grabbed the goal, sweeping the sliotar up after a flick from Aaron Gillane before rifling across Eoin Murphy into the top corner.
Gearóid Hegarty celebrates after scoring Limerick’s goal (Image: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)TJ Reid got the Cats off the mark with a free after eight minutes followed by an Eoin Cody point in what proved to be an end-to-end opening period, in which Brian Cody's side kept finding vital points any time their opponents threatened to pull away.
Kilkenny trailed by four at the break, 1-17 to 0-16, and despite Limerick grabbing the first two points after the interval, the Cats soon dragged themselves back into contention.
Walter Walsh found Billy Ryan on the edge of the box after a sweeping Kilkenny move and he made no mistake to bury it beyond Nickie Quaid and cut the gap to three after 38 minutes.
Billy Ryan shoots to score Kilkenny’s first goal (Image: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Still, both sides were irrepressible in the pounding Dublin heat as Hegarty, Diarmaid Byrnes and Gillane pointed for Limerick, with Adrian Mullen and Walsh responding for Kilkenny.
However, the Cats drew themselves level for the first time when Martin Keoghan's goal was followed by a John Donnelly point after 48 minutes to make it 2-19 to 1-22.
That saw the holders up the ante and they hit three points without reply through Tom Morrissey (2) and a Byrnes free, but Reid, Mullen and Richie Hogan again brought Kilkenny level as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
Martin Keoghan of Kilkenny scored Kilkenny’s second shortly before they drew level (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)However, that only served to strengthen Limerick’s resolve and they hit five without reply as the game entered added time, Kyle Hayes, Cathal O’Neill, Conor Boylan, Gillane and Hegarty on target.
Again, Kilkenny tried to regroup and hit the final three points of the game, but they were unable to find that crucial goal as Limerick held on for a first ever three-in-a-row.
Man of the match Hegarty paid tribute to the Limerick fans, saying the occasion was particularly special given last year’s reduced attendance and no fans being permitted at the 2020 final.
Mike Casey and his Treaty County teammates celebrate at the final whistle (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)“Last year was unreal but the limerick crowd that’s here today, it feels like there must be 50,000 or 60,000 Limerick people here today,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s absolutely incredible the support we get and we don’t take it for granted, let me tell you.
“We give everything that we can for each other on the field mostly but we know that we have such a massive support.
“With 10 minutes to go the game was in the melting pot and then you turnover a ball on the full back line and we come out and get a score… I remember a massive roar went up.
“We’re running back into position and you can hardly hear yourself speak — it’s incredible support we get, it’s unbelievable.”
Limerick supporters cheered their team on to a third consecutive All-Ireland title (Image: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Scorers
Limerick: Gearoid Hegarty (1-5), Aaron Gillane (0-7, 0-4f), Diarmaid Byrnes (0-5, 0-3f, 0-1 '65), Kyle Hayes (0-4), Tom Morrissey (0-4), Seamus Flanagan (0-2), Declan Hannon (0-1), Dan Morrissey (0-1), Cathal O'Neill (0-1), Conor Boylan (0-1).
Kilkenny: TJ Reid (0-9, 0-9f), Martin Keoghan (1-1), Billy Ryan (1-0), Adrian Mullen (0-3), Paddy Deegan (0-2), Pádraig Walsh (0-2), Tommy Walsh (0-1), Mikey Carey (0-1), Richie Reid (0-1), Eoin Cody (0-1), David Blanchfield (0-1), Alan Murphy (0-1), Walter Walsh (0-1), John Donnelly (0-1), Richie Hogan (0-1).
See More: All-Ireland SHC, Kilkenny, Limerick
