ONE of a plethora of stars in Limerick’s comfortable win over Clare in Sunday’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, was Gearóid Hegarty.
With a contribution of 1-2 in a Man of the Match performance, the St Patrick’s ace was at his brilliant best at the famed venue where 30 years previous his dad Ger excelled for us in a win at the same stage, also over the Banner.
This latest success, of course, represented title number 25 for Limerick and the first ever completion of six in a row.
“Unbelievable,” an elated Hegarty told RTÉ at the final whistle. “The Munster championship is just so difficult. It’s incredible to even think we’ve done six in a row.”
“To be honest with you, I don’t really care about the six in a row – I just wanted to win the 2024 Munster championship because it puts us in a great position again going forward this year.
“I know the last few years have been unbelievable and it’s probably something we will look back on over time and say, ‘how the hell did we do that?’. Right now, I’m just so happy that we’re in an All-Ireland semi-final.”
He was quick to praise a newcomer who also impressed on the big stage.
“You see Shane O’Brien making his first start today,” he said. “A young fella at 19, to be able to do what he did … I don’t want to heap too much pressure on him but he’s well able. He’s a big, strong man.
“I wouldn’t have started with a senior club team when I was 19, never mind the inter-county team.”
For a future pub quiz tie-breaker: Against which county did Gearóid Hegarty make his Limerick inter-county senior debut? (Answer: Longford).
In case you are puzzled, it was in football!
