The return of Limerick as All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions has underlined the team as the greatest the sport has ever produced in its storied existence.

After knockbacks over the previous couple of years, John Kiely’s side came through as kingpins once more with a defeat of Galway at sun-splashed Croke Park on Sunday.
Limerick were wholly dominant, with no less than ten score contributors, and the outcome was crystal clear long before the full-time whistle blown by Cork’s Colm Lyons.
For the bulk of the squad it represented an astonishing sixth Celtic Cross medal.
“I’m just thrilled for them. The last two years were very, very difficult to take. We just died in terms of energy when it mattered most (those years) and it really hurt us,” Kiely said in the immediate aftermath of the 1-29 to 1-18 suc-cess.
“I suppose that was always going to happen, but to come back for this year, everybody really had to dig very deep. Everybody.
“And they did, right throughout the year. They never left a night go without giving all of their energy on the pitch.
“Everything that Paul (Kinnerk, coach) put in front of them, everything that Adrian (O’Brien, Strenght and Conditioning) put in front of them, everything that Caroline (Currid, psychologist) put in front of them, they bought into every piece.
“And you don’t get days like today without going to the well as deep as they’ve gone to it. I’m just really thrilled and so proud for them. They deserve this moment.”
Gearóid Hegarty, who was later named Player of the Year on RTÉ’s The Sunday Game, added: “It’s been so hard. It’s been so tough. I always speak about the Munster Championship. Trying to get out of Munster every single year, it’s two different competitions. It’s so tough.
“So that’s kind of the first objective, to get out of Munster and then you get up to the All-Ireland series, trying to get up into this stadium and you’re coming up against teams that have momentum behind them obviously having won a good few games to get here.
“So it’s been unbelievably tough but unbelievably satisfying after 2024 and 2025. I’m not afraid to say we got used to coming up here every year and going back down the road with the cup and it was a tough couple of years.”
Galway manager Micheál Donoghue acknowledged: “You have to give full credit to Limerick, to John (Kiely), his backroom team and of course the players, they were outstanding today.
“In the build-up we were analysing them, but their performance today was superior to everything they had this year. I don’t think we got into our rhythm or flow, and that is credit to Limerick.”
“I thought in the first quarter we were touch and go (level three times), maybe left a few scores behind us, but in equal measure, when they (Limerick) reflect back, they’ll think they had the two or three goal chances. Every time we did some-thing, they responded straight away.”
Cian Lynch of Patickswell became only the eighth star – following-on from Denis Grimes (1897, Kilfinane)), Willie Hough (1918, Monagea), Bob McConkey (1921, Young Irelands), Timmy Ryan (1934, Ahane), Mick Mackey (1936 and 1940, Ahane), Éamonn Grimes (1973, South Liberites) and Declan Hannon (2018, ‘20, ‘21, ‘22, and ‘23) – to captain an All-Ireland winning Limerick side.
In his fine acceptance speech, the 30-year-old said it was an “absolute honour and privilege” to have led his side to the recapture of the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
‘Ciano,’ who was later voted the Sunday Game man-of-the-match, gave special praise to one person.
“Our sports psychologist Caroline Currid, unbeliev-able. We’re just privileged and honoured to have you as part of our group Caroline, to have you back with us this year, your knowledge, your information you share with us,” he said.
“You’re just that mother figure, that someone we can lean on whether that’s outside of sport in our lives in general and we really do appreciate you, so thank you Caroline.”
She hails from Grange, County Sligo and with her native county played with its All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship winning side of 2006. Prior to her link-up with Limerick, Caroline held a similar role with other All-Ireland winners from both codes in Tyrone (2008), Tipperary (2010) and Dublin (2011).
Under Caroline and others such as boss John, coach Paul and selector Alan Cunningham, Limerick have never suffered defeat on the national stage.
Cathal O’Neill, who struck a superb 1-4 from play, was selected as man-of-the-match.
All-Ireland winners Limerick – along with the victorious All-Ireland minor panel – were afford-ed a richly deserved hero’s welcome on their return to Pery Square on Shannon-side on Monday.
Mayor John Moran said: “What this group of players, management and backroom team has achieved is truly remark-able. Once again, they have demonstrated extraordinary commitment, resilience and belief on the biggest stage in the game and the people of Limerick could not be prouder. With minor success also this year, the future is looking very bright for Limerick hurling.”
Added Príomh Chomh-airleoir Cllr Tom Ruddle of Newcastle West: “The scenes of celebration throughout the county following the final whistle showed just how much this team means to the people of Limerick. The success of this group has given communities a tremendous lift and created memories that will last a lifetime.”
The homecoming was MC’d by Catriona Tierney, while entertainment came from DJ Mark McCabe and acclaimed singer Gearóid McCarthy (Foynes), among others.
There was also an immense outpouring of support as the Liam MacCarthy Cup was brought into the home village of the skipper on Tuesday evening.
The positive outcome at GAA Headquarters repres-ented a 13th such triumph for the Treaty County.
At the weekend, The Sunday Game unveiled its Team of the Year: Nickie Quaid; Seán Finn, Darren Morrissey (Galway), Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Will O’Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Cian Lynch, Cathal Mannion (Galway); Gearóid Hegarty, Aidan O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill; Jason Rabbitte (Galway), Peter Duggan (Clare), Brian Hayes (Cork).
Already, the newly crowned champions have been installed as favourites to retain the title in Sum-mer 2027.