Gaelic Games

John Kiely encouraged by Limerick’s gradual improvement

Defending champions showed best performance of the year so far to beat Waterford

Limerick manager John Kiely celebrates after the All-Ireland SHC semi-final with Caroline Currid and Cathal O’Brien (aged 4). Photo: Tommy Dickson/Inpho

Seán Moran's face
Seán Moran at Croke Park
Mon Aug 9 2021 - 05:00

It’s all about timing. John Kiely apologised for being late to the post-match media briefing but his team is bang on schedule. Limerick have now navigated a mediocre league, followed by a patchy Munster championship to erupt on to the big stage on Saturday with their best 70-minute performance since last year’s All-Ireland final.

The dismissal of a feisty - if fatigued after four successive weekends of matches - challenge by Waterford was on the cards from the first water break. By then, the ceramic shards of the kitchen sink thrown at the champions lay strewn around with no better impact on the scoreboard than to trail by a point.

Limerick are now in back-to-back finals for the first time in 47 years. It is the sort of landmark beloved of stats people and reporters but not so much managers even though Kiely acknowledged it.

“So does it mean that we’ll prepare the next two weeks any different to what we did last year? No, it won’t.

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“Listen, it’s a great achievement but I think the biggest achievement that this group have done this year is they’ve managed to incrementally improve from game to game and that, for me, is the most important thing and that, for us, is the most important thing, that we keep improving from game to game and for the next two weeks it’s about finding those improvements to bring them to the table in two weeks’ time.”

He was asked about the Covid challenge in light of the Tyrone footballers’ difficulties and the threat to next weekend’s football semi-final with Kerry. Acknowledging that his team were fortunate to be fully vaccinated, Kiely also explained the ongoing precautions: “we are limiting our movements quite significantly”.

“We tog out in the Mackey Stand. We’ve limited use of showers. We travel to training on our own. We do a lot of things we can to try and mitigate the risk but the risk is still there so hopefully we can come through the next 10 days, hopefully.”

He also welcomed the incremental return of spectators with 24,000 permitted at the weekend’s semi-finals.

“Oh it’s great, it’s great. It’s great to see people, even coming up from the train station, from Heuston today before the game. The city was alive with people from both sides, from Waterford and Limerick, all excited, families out, grandparents, parents and kids going to games again.

“Heads sticking out of cars, fellas swigging an old can of cider or whatever it might be. It’s a bit of normality back again.”

Brutally suppressed

Waterford manager Liam Cahill expressed pride in his players, who fought despite the match getting away from them in the first half. A mini-rally after half-time was brutally suppressed with a goal from Aaron Gillane just before the second water break.

“It definitely took the life out of us. The match back to six points. A bit of momentum going, a bit of pep in our step, especially up front where our forwards were saying, ‘maybe there’s a half a chance here’.

“Then the back of the net rattles down your end and it’s definitely a blow to everybody just right on the whistle of the water break. But look, that’s what good teams do to you. Limerick are all of that, a really good team.”

Cahill’s initial two-year appointment is up for review and he was asked about his intentions. Although it wasn’t mentioned, the context was screaming. His own county, Tipperary, may be looking for a new manager depending on Liam Sheedy’s plans for the future.

“I’m after having a brilliant two years here with these fellas. They’ve given me everything. I’ve got out as much as I can around the club scene in Waterford as well. Lots of good young hurlers. Nice under-20 team again. A lovely minor team contesting a Munster final on Monday night.

“The two years are up - that was the initial agreement. We’ll just have to sit down and talk to everybody: stakeholders, county chairman and all the boys who initially chatted about what needed to happen.

“It’s hard to know yet but look, these fellas are very hard to walk away from because they’re a really honest bunch of fellas.”