1. Kilkenny survive a battle
The levels of examination that Kilkenny faced in Leinster this year may not have been fierce but they were met with a ferocious challenge today as they entered the 2014 All-Ireland series.
They went behind on the scoreboard in the first-half, trailed again in the second-half and were pushed to their limit by a determined Limerick showing.
Yet Kilkenny were up for the battle and after the apocalyptic rainstorm in the second-half, they got to work and went about the business of winning the game.
They plundered goals at critical junctures from Richie Hogan and Richie Power that floored Limerick. And by the final whistle Kilkenny had survived to reach the September showpiece for the 13th time since Brian Cody took charge.
2. Heartbreak for Limerick again
For the second successive year, Limerick’s All-Ireland bid was foiled at the semi-final stage but in vastly different circumstances.
In 2013 their challenge collapsed early on against Clare and they were defeated long before the final whistle as they fell to a convincing defeat. Today’s performance was in stark contrast to that as they settled quickly to the tempo of the game to forge an early lead.
Even after being hit with the setback of shipping a goal on the cusp of half-time, Limerick recovered excellently in the early stages of the second-half.
TJ Ryan’s side produced a display brimming with passion and had a clutch of stellar performers in Seamus Hickey, Paul Browne, Donal O’Grady, Declan Hannon and Shane Dowling.
But Kilkenny held them off going down the straight and it was heartbreak for Limerick once more as they were pipped by two points.
3. Kilkenny’s goals prove critical
Without trying to reduce this thrilling contest to a cliche, it’s clear that this was a game where goals were of huge significance.
Limerick did so many good things over the course of 70 minutes. Yet apart from a couple of goalmouth scrambles and a David Breen second-half shot that was blocked by David Herity, Limerick didn’t come close to replicating their goalscoring spree from the quarter-final against Wexford.
Kilkenny did manage to hit the net twice and those strikes shaped the outcome of the game. For all of the progress Limerick made in the first-half, Richie Hogan buried a goal in terrific style before the break to propel Kilkenny ahead.
Then, when Limerick stitched together five points without reply in the second-half to go in front again, Kilkenny managed to nick a second goal.
Those scores were ultimately the difference.
4. Spotlight falls on fouls
http://vine.co/v/MV2X0M0jeTg
It was a day where fouls were put into the spotlight due to the decisions made by referee James McGrath.
JJ Delaney stopped Shane Dowling as he tried to break clear in the first-half and while a free was awarded, television pictures suggested that Delaney grabbed Dowling’s faceguard.
Given the furore over Podge Collins dismissal earlier this summer for Clare for a similar offence, it was an interesting call.
What provoked greater debate was Donal O’Grady’s professional foul on Richie Power towards the end of the game.
It was difficult to argue with O’Grady’s decision to dive and trip Power given what was at stake for his Limerick team. But it was harder to understand how it was not deemed to be worth of a booking and given O’Grady was on a yellow at the time, the Limerick captain was fortunate not to be dismissed.
5. Traditional final pairing
2013 was a hurling season rich in colour and drama, primarily because of the novel stories told as new counties burst to the fore.
2014 has seen plenty of hurling entertainment as well but there’s been a clear shift back to the old order. Kilkenny and Tipperary had both exited the championship during the month of July last year, now they’re two of the last three sides standing.
The remaining member of the triumvirate is Cork, a third aristocratic force. Regardless of the outcome of next Sunday’s semi-final, we’re going to have a traditional final pairing.
A Kilkenny and Tipperary duel would be the fourth decider in six years while Cork and Kilkenny last met back in 2006 in an All-Ireland final.
