IN 2014 LIMERICK lost an All-Ireland hurling semi-final in a Croke Park monsoon.
They hurled with bravery and courage. They brought a level of intensity that tested their more illustrious opponents.
Declan Hannon hit the heights with 0-5 and Shane Dowling’s freetaking was on the money. It was the type of display that exorcised the demons that had been lurking in the Limerick hurling psyche since their collapse twelve months previously against Clare.
Yet at the end they were two points in arrears and exiting the championship race. And of course it was Kilkenny who were the victors, Kilkenny who marched onto the final and Kilkenny who had felt that boot against their throat but escaped before it pressed down firmly.
Limerick were crestfallen afterwards. Manager TJ Ryan spoke of the devastation in his dressing-room. Seamus Hickey got the man-of-the-match award from RTÉ but in defeat, his interview was harrowing.
Limerick were showered with plaudits and informed it was the type of performance which could be a springboard to bigger and better things. That may yet happen with the nucleus of that team still intact and they have a 2015 All-Ireland U21 winning team to develop.
But the last two seasons have not seen signs of them building on the foundations they laid that day. They haven’t managed to clamber out of Division 1B in the league and their championship seasons have ended with mid-July defeats in Thurles against Dublin and Clare.
That Limerick hurling narrative was brought into sharper focus in Thurles on Saturday night. Again Kilkenny were pushed to the brink in an All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final, again they only had two points to spare and again it was an emerging Munster team who they had seen off.
Waterford were rightly lauded for their performance on Saturday night. They were terrific. They displayed greater ambition in their attacking intentions. Posting two goals on the board in the first 20 minutes against Kilkenny is no mean feat.
At stages during the second-half the game looked on the verge of drifting away from Waterford but they hung grimly in there, holding Kilkenny scoreless for an 18-minute period and ensuring the outcome was in doubt until the death.
But in his emotive post-match interview, there was a clear theme to Derek McGrath’s thoughts. He refused to entertain talk of moral victories, referring to the difficulty to get back to this stage again.
“It’s as far away as it ever was, in my opinion. Brian Cody came into our dressing-room last year, and he wasn’t one bit patronising, he just spoke about how hard it is to get back to a semi-final.”
Waterford lost the 2015 semi-final to Kilkenny by six points. This season they clearly improved in setting the tone in last Sunday’s draw and bringing the replay to the wire.
But the numbing pain of the defeat is the same, irrespective of the improved nature of their hurling. There is a danger of falling into the trap of assuming this is a guarantee that Waterford are closer than ever to achieving the Holy Grail.
Limerick’s recent campaigns are proof of that and there was a strong sense in the tunnel underneath Semple Stadium on Saturday night, that no one was more keenly aware of that than Derek McGrath.
He warned of how tough it will be to get back to the last four stage and was keen to temper the rising expectations that will engulf hurling circles in the county as their U21′s embark on an All-Ireland campaign next Saturday.
Will McGrath be back at the helm for 2017? He was handed a three-year extension at the close of last season which ensures he is signed up until the end of 2019. But he has spoken of the all-consuming nature of the job and the De La Salle man has emptied himself in pursuit of Deise success along with his management team.
It’s a tempting proposition to stay with this team though. From those that featured last Saturday night, Michael Walsh is the only player currently in his thirties and he’ll be joined in that age bracket by Kevin Moran next March.
Waterford will hope Walsh remains given the influence on the replay he had with his extraordinary composure in possession.
Elsewhere they are brimming with promise. Tadhg De Búrca, Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson elevated their games to higher levels this season. Despite the agony he’ll feel over that late free on Saturday night, Pauric Mahony banished his injury woes in style this summer.
Conor Gleeson adapted well to the rigours of the senior game and the U21 trio of Curran and Bennett (x2) will be key senior attackers.
There’s clearly potential and Waterford have assembled an admirable body of work over the past two seasons. They may have only won a single trophy but consecutive appearances in league finals, Munster finals and All-Ireland semi-finals is a level of consistency that a few other Munster hurling forces yearn for.
Still despite all that progress, they will start 2017 in a crowded pack once more. The standard – as it is for everyone – is set by the county that borders them to the north, as McGrath pointed to afterwards in Semple Stadium.
“I think that’s why Kilkenny are as sharp as they are every year. They treat every opponent with absolute respect. And that’s the reason they’re so competitive and motivated every year.
“Look if we can get one thing (right), copy how Kilkenny have been in victory and defeat over the years, we’ll have a chance.”
Amidst the heartbreak of Saturday night, they have a strong chance going forward. But the challenge to succeed in 2017 is as daunting as ever.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
