Kilkenny defeated Limerick with an awesome display of physical power and skill. This All Ireland was brimful of skilful striking if a little one sided. Limerick's physical approach was no match for the silken skills of the Cats. Ollie Moran and Mark Foley were the only Limerick players with the class to trouble Kilkenny. There were no weak links on the Kilkenny team. I particularly liked the hurling of Jackie Tyrrell, John Tennyson, Tommy Walsh ,Eddie Brennan, Cha Fitzpatrick and Eoin Larkin.
Some of the Limerick players have concentrated on inter county Gaelic Football in recent years. This has restricted the development of their hurling skills. Hurling and Gaelic Football do not mix. In marked contrast to this the Kilkenny players concentrate on hurling. Hence the yawning gap in class yesterday.
Henry Shefflin's acceptance speech was the finest I have ever heard at Croke Park.
He was helped by Darragh McGarry as he raised the McCarthy Cup. The 11-year-old's mother Vanessa was killed in a road crash this summer. Vanessa was wife of Kilkenny hurler James McGarry. Shefflin dedicated the victory to her memory.
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