AT the media night before the Munster Championship clash between Limerick and Tipperary, John Allen said these words.
““If hard work, dedication and honesty counts for anything then this Limerick team deserves something this year. I cannot say enough about them. Hopefully a reward is around the corner for them.”
He was proven to be spot on. Limerick defeated double Munster champions Tipperary 1-18 to 1-15 last weekend in what was a truly spectacular performance from the men in green.
Allen, who silenced his critics with the win, was balanced in his assessment of the game and was immediately focused on the challenges ahead.
“I have the utmost belief in the players and the most trust, they have huge qualities. I know what they put in and I wanted to make it clear that this group of players are putting in a huge amount of time – they put their lives on hold to play inter-county hurling and I am very proud of them”
Allen’s praise for his men did not stop there. The Cork native compared them to the Leeside teams he was involved with in the past. All Ireland winning Cork sides.
“The Cork team of 2003-2006 were a very special group of players and having being involved with them I have some measure of knowledge of what is need. This year everyone is a year further down the line. Everyone knows they have to hydrate, that they have to eat properly, that they do have to do the gym work and there are no shortcuts taken.”
It may have been the perfect result, but it was not the perfect performance. According to Allen that is.
“I was obviously very pleased by performance and there were things I wasn’t overly pleased about. Overall it was a very hard working, committed performance and results will come if you work that hard.”
Man of the match, Richie McCarthy said after the game that they will not get carried away.
“No one really gave us a hope really. We did that for the supporters today. It looked like we won an All Ireland there, but we have a big game to come. We won’t get carried away. The public don’t realise the character we have in that dressing room.”
Centre back on the day, Wayne McNamara spoke too about his drive to win for the fans of Limerick.
“There was a lot of hurt there from the last two years. We knew not to panic as the work was down. This is my sixth year on the panel and it means a lot to me and all the lads. We wanted to win for Limerick and to put pride back in the jersey. We did this for the clubs of Limerick.”
Limerick now await the winners of Cork and Clare to see what the Munster final pairing will be on July 14. Should Cork win that semi final, the final itself will be at the Gaelic Grounds. Should Davy Fitzgerald’s Clare side win, the final would be in Thurles.
LIMERICK – Nickie Quaid; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon; Paudie O’Brien, Wayne McNamara, Gavin O’Mahony; Paul Browne, Donal O’Grady; David Breen, James Ryan, Seamus Hickey; Sean Tobin, Declan Hannon, Graeme Mulcahy. Subs: Conor Allis for David Breen (42mins), Shane Dowling for Seamus Hickey (48mins), Niall Moran for Sean Tobin (64mins), Cathal King for Paul Browne (65mins), Kevin Downes for James Ryan (68mins).
