Who saw this coming?
After a chastening Munster final defeat to Tipperary few expected Limerick to put in a performance like this against the Leinster champions.
Their comfortable win over Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter-final did little to convince that they could put in a performance like this but Limerick blew Dublin away in the first half to set up a 1-18 to 0-15 victory.
The winners of Tipperary and Galway will not underestimate Pat Donnelly’s side after this high-tempo display, with star performers all over the field. We have highlighted three of the best.
Brian Ryan
A quick glance at the Ard Scoil Rís forward’s nine points would hint at an afternoon of free-taking but Ryan’s performance was about way more than dead balls. As the picture above suggests he, like the rest of the Limerick attack, made up the Treaty side’s first line of defence. He hassled and he harried, particularly in the first half, as Limerick took a nine-point lead in at the break.
His two points from play came just before the break as the Munster men looked to stamp out any hint of a Dublin revival. His second, in the 31st minute, was one to treasure. After a long, mazy run he lost possession but battled back, helped win the turnover, took possession, swivelled and shot sharply.
When Dublin got back within four points in the closing stages it was Ryan who twice took possession in the middle third, twice turned his man and twice earned frees when he was pulled down by Jack O’Neill and then Cian O’Sullivan. He converted both frees himself to secure the win and Limerick’s return to the final for the first time since 2014.
Finn Hourigan
There were some noteworthy performances in a Limerick defence that limited Dublin to six points from play – including point-scoring goalkeeper Mark O’Kelly, full-back Conor Nicholas and corner-back Ronan Connelly, however the right wing-back was the pick of the bunch.
The teenager, in the red helmet above, gave a masterclass in the key defensive art of being a right pain in the arse. Tasked with tracking one of the stars of Dublin’s triumphant Leinster campaign, Donal Burke, the Murroe/Boher man shone in the half-back line.
With Dublin bearing down on goal on the quarter hour, it was Hourigan who made a vital interception on the ‘D’, 10 minutes later he made an amazing retreating run to somehow get back and hook Ciarán Dowling and throughout his distribution was clever and no-nonsense.
In the second half, with Dublin playing a more direct, hard-running game, Hourigan was on hand to win dirty ball and get himself between bullish runners like Daire Gray and the goal. In the final 10 minutes his reading of the game and doggedness allowed him to dispossess Burke near the sideline, win a sideline puck – which he proceeded to drill down the pitch.
An early, long-distance point set the tone for a massive performance.
Kyle Hayes
A captain’s display. The Kildimo/Pallaskenny clubman is a minor veteran, having been a part of the Limerick team that lost the 2014 All-Ireland final, he will now have an opportunity to make amends on the first Sunday in September against either Tipperary or Galway.
He helped to settle his younger team-mates Croke Park nerves with a fine first-minute point and throughout he was the man making the Limerick attack tick. He was fouled for Ryan’s first free and almost set his corner-forward up for a goal with a clever 10th minute pass only for Dublin keeper Dara De Poire to deny Ryan.
He book-ended a great first 30 minutes with the final point of the first half and while he did not add to his tally after the break he showed great leadership with the tackling, tracking and hassling he performed as Limerick dampened the Dublin comeback.
He will leave nothing on the Croke Park pitch on September 4th, that is for sure.
Minor players are embarking on their adult lives, many are about to finish school and start college, they have hopes and dreams and ambitions, but for this one moment in time, the Electric Ireland Minor Championships is the major thing in their lives. Follow the conversation at #GAAThisIsMajor.
