WATCH: John Kiely “The quality in that game was incredible”

Part 2 of John Kiely’s three part interview.

Limerick entered the 2018 season to a new structure in the Provincial championships. After playing just two championship games in Kiely’s first year in charge, his young side were now guaranteed twice that in Munster alone.

The opening three games saw Limerick find their rhythm with the opener against Tipperary setting the tone.

However, it was the clash with Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and the subsequent win over Waterford that really put out a marker that this was a different Limerick team.

“No one knew what to expect with the round robin, especially in Munster where there is such a hot bed of talent. Any of the teams could win on any given day if they hit a bit of form so we just took it one game at a time, nearly one ball at a time. That’s all you can do and keep plugging away.

“The win over Tipp was great. It was a home game and it gave us a lift. We had a week off then so going to Cork we knew we were fresh. I’m not surprised the lads had a lot of energy that night. And I think Declan (Hannon) falling ill after five minutes and coming off, Aaron (Gillane) getting sent off, there was a mental challenge there, no hiding place, they had to stand up and deliver.

“There were so many little wins in that game, Seanie Finn’s block on Harnedy with the tip of his hurley at the end, Graeme Mulcahy’s block on Darragh Fitzgibbon. That draw felt like a win for us and we took a lot from that game. It was a wonderful game of hurling to be involved in.

“We moved on to play Waterford and played exceptionally well on that day. We were efficient and confident on the day. It was a really great performance that day.”

That left Limerick on five points heading into their final game with Clare with a chance at a Munster final just a result away.

Clare had other ideas and blitzed Kiely’s men, winning out by 11 points, resigning Limerick to a preliminary quarter-final against Carlow.

While the result was far from ideal, it did provide Kiely and his charges the time to reflect before moving into the All-Ireland series.

“We knew going to Ennis it was a tough assignment and everything was still up for grabs. We just didn’t play well on the day. For whatever reason we didn’t follow through with what we had done in previous weeks and that happens. Clare were fantastic on the day. We weren’t at the pitch and the score was probably a fair reflection.

But we qualified from Munster and it’s a huge achievement to qualify from Munster, not to mind reach a final.”

“We knew going into the All-Ireland series, one slip up and you’re gone and that performance wasn’t going to do. An eleven point beating, its fairly easy to focus minds after that and it was probably the right time to happen.  We probably need that injection of focus and harsh reality. We said it’s not good enough and it can’t happen again this season. We had time to analyse our thoughts and see what went wrong on the day. We needed to pick it up and move on from there.”

Limerick regained form against Carlow which earned them a shot at Kilkenny in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Kilkenny had ended Limerick’s season 12 months previously, but Kiely knew his side was fully prepared this time around.

“Playing Kilkenny in the championship, you know what to expect. We had the experience of playing them the year before. They’re incredible competitors. They compete for every ball like their lives depended on it and you have to match that. But I knew we were way better prepared than we were the previous year. in the first half we were creating space, creating chances and I just though the lads were really ready for it. It was a perfect game for us.

“Then Kilkenny come back and get the goal with ten minutes to go and you ask yourself the question, ‘can we respond to this?’ We didn’t have long to wait. Tom won the puckout and put it over the bar and it was real incredible leadership from him. The impact of the bench was also incredible with Peter (Casey), Shane (Dowling) and Will (O’Donoghue) coming on. There was great leadership and composure. One poor decision could have turned the tide but our decision making was excellent.

“It was a fantastic victory for us. We hadn’t beaten them in 45 years and it meant a lot to the group. Afterwards, we really sensed that we had got ourselves to a really great position and we were going to Croke Park for a semi-final. We didn’t reflect too long on that, we focused on the semi-final and the work to be done.”

That set up another clash with Cork, this time around in Croke Park in an All-Ireland semi-final.

What transpired over the course of the two hours in HQ that day was arguably the finest hurling game as the sides broke numerous scoring records.

They could not be separated in normal time once again as extra-time was forced.

In the additional time, Limerick’s superior bench showed their worth as Limerick eventually won out 3-32 to 2-31.

“It was a crazy, crazy game. The quality in that game was incredible. The quality of Cork’s movement, their touch. They had the experience under their belt. We were newbies. For a lot of lads, it was their first time in an All-Ireland semi-final. And I thought that experience would be a factor and midway through the second half that appeared to be the case, they just looked like a team that had been there before and done that.

“I remember looking at the scoreboard and we were six down. I was thinking if we don’t get the next couple of scores, it’s over for us. Once we got the first two scores and reduced it to four, you could hear the air of anticipation rising, that there might be something on here. We got it to three and you could definitely sense it.

“Once we got out of normal time and into extra time, I think the group had a sense that they were in a great place to take it on. We had seized the initiative at that stage and I don’t think there was any way we were going to let it go.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster and took days to get over. It wasn’t until the following Thursday that I was fully over the game.”

One such moment from the game that will live long in the memory is Nickie Quaid’s flick on Seamus Harnedy that saved Limerick’s hopes with the Cork man bearing down on goal.

Check out this unbelievable save by Nickie Quaid! pic.twitter.com/Y3deg0CM18

— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 29, 2018

Kiely described how he felt during that sequence.

“You’re not thinking. You’re in the moment watching it, hoping that something will, that it will hit off someone. Seamus Harnedy is an incredible hurler, size, left and right, ferocious shot, he’s a finisher and you knew there was a strong chance that he is gonna finish it. But if you watch the still, there’s four or five lads behind Nickie. And even if Nickie doesn’t  get the block, something tells me that we would have held out.

“But Nickie’s save was just incredible. It was top top drawer and I was thrilled for him because he’s had a lot of tough days. To pull that off, on the biggest day, I was thrilled for him.”

That win saw Limerick into a first All-Ireland final in eleven years where they would face defending champions Galway.

With the experience alien to the group of players, Kiely decided to stick to their guns and prepare as normal.

“The experience of the people around us was key. Paul and Joe had been through it with Clare, Caroline with Tipperary, Tyrone and Dublin so we would have leaned on them a lot.

“Ultimately we just said we would stick to what we were doing and I think that was the right thing to do. We challenged the players, mixed it up and it probably helped them to focus on their own game. And we enjoyed it on reflection. I don’t remember very much of the difficulty of the three weeks, I remember the relaxation and the craic in the group. Training was so enjoyable, we would have trained for hours.”

And heading for Dublin on the morning of Auguts 19 2018, Kiely knew his side were in good stead, with the players relaxed and the noise levels loud on the train.

“We took the train because we did for the semi-final. The train is great, it works for our group. They are relaxed and happy in an environment like that. There wasn’t a sense of nervousness, they were relaxed. They were in good form and why wouldn’t they be going up to Dublin for an All-Ireland final.

They were relaxed in each others company, having the craic and that might sound mad the morning of an All-Ireland final, it’s what works for these lads. It puts you at ease when you hear the noise and there was a lot of noise. For someone looking in, they might say they aren’t tuned in at all, but it’s what works for these guys.

We hit our markers, on the money, all day, right until we went out on to the field and it’s a testament to the planning that went on behind the scenes.”

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