An All-Ireland final win would be the defining achievement for most intercounty managers but it may be different for John Kiely.
Kiely guided Limerick to their first All-Ireland title in 45 years with a one-point win over Galway on Sunday which also put an end to a five-match losing streak in finals for the Treaty County.
The 46-year-old has been praised for guiding a young Limerick team past the defending All-Ireland champions, and it may indeed rank as the finest hour of Kiely’s career, but at one point in time it was Galbally’s win in the 1995 County Junior B Hurling Final that held that honour.
“This is without doubt the proudest moment in any man’s career,” said Kiely.
“To captain his own club to the first ever hurling title to come back to their parish. This isn’t just the 15 boys on the field and the subs on the sidelines, the mentors John Neill, the manager Michael McCabe, Jack Dillon, Dennis Ryan, Eddie Ryan in the background there and Tommy Sheehan, anyone that has ever been involved in hurling back along the years.
“There’s been a long, long road. It’s been nine years since we won our last county title. This team, which I started off in U14s back in 1986, it’s definitely a fantastic moment for me.
“I don’t care what Limerick jersey you wear, to win anything with your own club is better than anything. I don’t care what it is.”
After the win over Galway Kiely spoke to RTE where he tried to sum up just how special his group of players are.
“They just don’t know what it is to give up. They keep going and keep going. It was really difficult there in the last few minutes but they still found a way to do it. There is no substitute for hard work, that’s the bottom line.”
"We were always the bridesmaids – but today we got over the line" – John Kiely #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/O7n3DOgXbV
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 19, 2018
