THERE WERE ALL-IRELAND and Munster champions on the field in Thurles on Sunday and seven Allstar winners.
But it was a teenager making his senior championship debut who stole the show.
Cian Lynch streaked across the Munster hurling sky like a comet with a sensational display for Limerick.
He struck 0-3 and issued a forceful statement for a player just out of minor ranks.
“He’s a great lad, he’s very honest and unassuming,” says Limerick defender Gavin O’Mahony.
Every night he comes into training and keeps his head down. To look at him, you’d think he was going to be the next David Beckham.
“But even when he comes in training, there’s no airs or graces. He comes in and works very hard.
“He was a great outlet for us at times (on Sunday), he won a lot of even 50-50 balls. He won good possession, he was very clever and used the ball very well. Any player that does that, that’s playing for the team is good.”
Lynch’s display helped deliver a championship win for Limerick as they atoned for another spring of league disappointment.
Limerick slipped up in their promotion bid this spring and then fell tamely at the hands of Dublin in late March’s quarter-final in Croke Park.
Coupled with his club Kilmallock’s humbling All-Ireland final defeat on St Patrick’s Day, O’Mahony didn’t lack motivation in Sunday’s Munster bout with Clare.
‘Poorly’
“We don’t go out to play poorly in the league or to not get promoted. We’ve been there a couple of years now and it’s a kind of a stigma with us, we just never seem to perform. Even the game against Dublin in Croke Park, there was just no answer to it.
“That’s something we’re adamant to prove right. I suppose a huge thing that we put emphasis on is consistency. Even going back through the last 30 years with Limerick, we make a spurt for a year or two, you wouldn’t go back to Croke Park again for four or five.
“You can’t expect to be winning All-Ireland’s if you’re not contesting semi-finals and finals every year. If you’re not going to be there every year, you can’t just be a flash in a pan, get lucky and win one.
You have to keep trying to get back there, keep doing the right things and the result will come.
“When you’re playing sport and you’re playing hurling, you’ve a lot more losses than wins, a lot more lows than highs, especially when you’re in Limerick. But any day you can win a game in the Munster championship is positive, it’s a good result.”
– First published 00.05
Have to hand it to Selby, was shouting for Murphy all the way, but Selby is a serious player, and quite a humble guy judging by his interview. Really enjoyed this evening, thought Murphy was superb, and an unlikely comeback was on the cards at one stage.
@The Firestarter: Murphy’s speech after losing a world final was pure class. The best man deffo won.
Was fantastic to see a full crowd – shows how much sport loses without. BBC coverage very enjoyable.
@Theportobello: BBC is the only place to watch it, a bit annoying earlier in the tournament when they would stop coverage in the middle of a frame. Watched a bit on eurosport and the commentary was atrocious. Ex players calling the pockets, holes!
@Darren Lambe: Watched it all on Eurosport, some great coverage.
@Theportobello: Yeah must be an age thing, but I love the BBC coverage, and it was great to see a full crowd at the Crucible. It would never happen here, if it was up to our lot, they would have cancelled the World Championship.
@Darren Lambe: watched all bar one session of the tournament on Eurosport. By far the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament. No cutting off for the antiques roadshow. Wouldn’t have been a fan of Joe Johnson’s commentary before the tournament but he grew on me.
@Darren Lambe: Have to disagree. I really like Hazel Irvine as a presenter, but as a whole, Eurosport produce a better programme with far better coverage. Neal Foulds is an excellent pundit.
@Paul Mcnevin: the studio coverage on Eurosport is decent and probably just shades it because of the Northern Irish guy who hosts it, he’s brilliant. But the commentary is much better on BBC. The only decent commentator on Eurosport is Dominic Dale. Joe Johnson does my head in. He’s always eating while commentating and the chewing with his mic live is so unprofessional. It’s like ASMR for psychopaths.
@Paul Mcnevin: joe Johnson terrible
Ronnie not able to answer a question without trying to subtly mention he hates mark selby. Watched on Eurosport with volume down
@Ger: Definitely Eurosport’s coverage is more comprehensive. Also not a fan of Joe Johnson almost slows the game down. I do like Dave Hendon he adds some detailed analysis
@Conor Houlihan: Yes Dave is very good too. You can tell that he sometimes gets annoyed with JJs nonsense
Balls of steel from Selby. 4 worlds in 8 years great strike rate. Thanks to the 42 for the articles over the tournament
Why didnt he play that shot safe
@George J Stephens: he has the bal1s to risk it
@George J Stephens: I know
@George J Stephens: you really can’t out play Selby in the safety department
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Balls to 2nd place.
@George J Stephens: he got down on it very quick. I think he was trying to force himself not to overthink things in the evening session – go for everything. If he’d got it back to 17-16, then serious pressure on Selby. But he didn’t…..
@George J Stephens: because he doesn’t play like Steve Davis george. Having said that I understand your frustration.
@George J Stephens: because he knew the only way he could change the course of the final was by taking on shots and going for it. He had to take the game to Selby. He had to take opportunities when they arose. Saying that I knew he was going to miss that red and was roaring at the telly for a safety shot
Incredible bottle from Selby to hold out for the win. Many thought he would never come back after last years semi. However what a performance. Have to hand it to Murphy for being so gracious in defeat ans speaking so well
What a final. That final red may haunt Murphy for a bit, but the man was gracious in defeat, he will have he’s day again hopefully. Fairplay to Selby. Clinical.
Best man won. Great few days of snooker.
Never have I seen a man to handle pressure as well as Selby. As cool as a cucumber at all times- Amazing temperament.
Disapointed for Murphy – more snooker news on the journal please for other tournaments would be great!
And in more important news harps beat Derry
@Chippy Dica: dope
Fantastic tournament .. Gutted for Murphy but Selby showed true class…. Great to see the Crucible packed with supporters again. Great coverage by Eurosport over the last month with the qualifiers and the championship. Good to see some young Irish players too .. the likes of Aaron Hill who beat Ronnie O Sullivan not all that long ago Aaron has a very bright future in the sport.
May the 4th be with him.
The Jester, probably the most inappropriate nickname of all time.
No denying he was easily the best all tournament. The type oh lad who has a big attic with a snooker table. You get the feeling his parents are in the attic somewhere too