Declan Hannon: “A lot has changed since then” | Limerick captain not dwelling on 2019 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cats

Declan Hannon will aim to lift the Liam MacCarthy for a third time and is a proud Brand Ambassador for Mazda at Lucey Motors Charleville.

It’s the major blot on the copybook of the current Limerick senior hurling team. And while it may have been nearly three years ago, it remains the last championship defeat suffered by the Shannonsiders.

Heading to Croke Park as defending All-Ireland (as well as Munster and League kingpins), Limerick were the easy pick as favourites to advance to a second successive All-Ireland final.

Kilkenny hadn’t been to that stage since 2015, and had lost a share of bodies in the meantime with Cody introducing a number of new faces.

But like the great Kilkenny sides of the noughties and early 10s, hunger was not lacking and they tore into Limerick, racing into a 1-7 to 0-2 lead at GAA HQ.

Limerick battled back but the gap was too much as Kilkenny hung on for a memorable victory.

Limerick captain, Declan Hannon was forced from the field on that with injury, watching as his side just missed out on an epic comeback.

He didn’t return for the second half of the contest with Limerick clearly missing their talismanic centre-back.

Incredibly, the teams haven’t crossed paths since with Limerick undefeated in the championship in the meantime.

This Sunday will be the tenth meeting of the sides in an All-Ireland final and that will be the sole focus for Hannon with 2019 in the past.

“I don’t think it’ll have any bearing on Sunday, every game kind of takes on a life of it’s own and I’m sure Kilkenny are preparing as well as we are and no doubt it’ll be a fantastic occasion and the two teams are going to go at it from the start.”

“The game (in 2019) was three years ago and a lot has changed since then, there’s different panels of players involved and it’s going to be a totally different game.”

Limerick completed a first four in a row of Munster titles since the 1930’s earlier this year following the epic extra-time win over Clare.

The radar the previous day was Kilkenny’s Leinster final victory over Galway, their third on the trot with the achievements of Brian Cody’s new look side going somewhat under the radar.

Hannon and co are under no illusions however, of the quality they will come up against as he praised the talent in the Kilkenny ranks.

“They’re brilliant, a lot of teams have learned from Kilkenny over the last number of years and how they work in every single game they play like there’s never an easy ball an opposition will get off a Kilkenny player, they’re so skillful, physically very very strong, read the game really well, use the ball really well, they’re just the full article.

“For us to be able to compete with them we’re going to have to be at our very best.”

An intriguing battle lay in store between the two best teams of the summer where Hannon will make more history should he climb the steps of the Hogan Stand for the third successive year.

The black and amber were the last team to halt Limerick, can they do so again or will Hannon’s men avenge that defeat?

Sunday’s encounter will answer all, a draw aside of course!

Limerick face Kilkenny in the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final on Sunday 17 July at 3.30pm in Croke Park.

Best of luck to Limerick GAA in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the Captain Declan Hannon our Mazda Brand Ambassador from Lucey Motors Charleville