HIMSELF the winner of four All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships on the trot back in 2009, Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng was rich in his praise of 2019-2023 kingpins Limerick.
“They have proven that (they are one of the best ever) now with four in a row and they don’t look like to me they are getting any weaker,” Lyng stated after Sunday’s clash.
“They have huge experience and their age profile is pretty good so they are going to take stopping again, there’s no question about it. They are a fantastic team.”
Just a couple of points separated the sides in last year’s final, but this time around the margin was stretched much further.
“I think nine points is harsh on us to be honest but look, it is what it is,” Lyng opined.
Wind-assisted Kilkenny had led 1-9 to 0-9 at the interval, but were truly blitzed in the closing-half.
“I was really happy (with half-time lead) and we needed that. Very hard to maintain it. They are such a strong, physical team and they keep coming at you. You could really see some of our players tiring in the second half.
“You have to have the intensity, you have to have the work rate around the pitch but particularly against them, you have to be there on the breaking ball and winning that. They are just so strong around that middle third and I thought for a long time we made it a really good battle out there.
“They get that flow and they get a bit of room and space, it’s not as if we were cut open at all, there were scores from out the field, outrageous scores, fantastic scores, and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it.”
Sunday represented Limerick’s sixth defeat of Kilkenny in an All-Ireland Final, adding to the wins of 1897, 1936, 1940, 1973, and last year.
