Gearóid Hegarty rises to the occasion as Limerick show potential to add to thrilling three-in-a-row

Eamonn Sweeney

Gearóid Hegarty celebrates after scoring his side's early goal in the All-Ireland SHC final. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

July 18 2022 02:30 AM

Call it The Hegarty Final.

On an afternoon of marvellous things, of Tom Morrissey’s clutch sharpshooting, Diarmaid Byrnes’ implacable nerve and invincible accuracy, Kyle Hayes’ awesome athleticism, TJ Reid raging magnificently against the dying of the light and Huw Lawlor’s heroic subjugation of Aaron Gillane, Limerick’s No 10 beat all.

For the third year in a row the long fellow inscribed his name on the big day. His 1-5, added to 2020’s 0-7 and 2021’s 2-2, completed a hat-trick of sustained excellence with few equals in final history.

Only one other half-forward in the last 50 years, Joe Cooney in the 1990 decider, has matched the score from play Hegarty just produced in successive finals. There was a famous Broadway musical called ‘Sunday In The Park With George’. Sunday In The Park With Gearóid is even more entertaining.

This was Hegarty’s finest hour. His other tours de force were inflicted on opposition utterly overwhelmed by Limerick from the off. This time round Kilkenny hung in there and his side needed every last one of his scores.

The scores weren’t simply more vital than usual. They were of even higher quality. Every single one had something monumental about it, as though we were watching the trailer of some future documentary on the nature of Hegarty’s achievement.

His unique combination of delicacy and power has never been better illustrated than by the fourth-minute goal which gave Limerick the ideal start. First the neat chip into his hand, then the fend-off of Richie Reid and finally a powerful shot on the run into the top corner from a distance and angle where most would have settled for a point.

The deftest of sidesteps created space for his first point in the 16th minute before two minutes later he collected a clearance from Nickie Quaid and swept the ball over from halfway out the field on the right wing.

His 25th-minute point, arrowed over the bar from the sideline after he’d killed the ball with one touch, was probably the pick in terms of quality. But the colossal effort he struck from fully 85 yards to put Limerick five points up in injury-time might have been the most important.

He turned creator as well. A glorious long pass set up Morrissey for a point and there were a couple of assists for Hayes as the 2017 half-forward line got back together for the best reunion since The Godfather Part II.

This was all the more extraordinary for coming at the end of a season when Hegarty was subjected to a level of scrutiny few players have suffered. Given the omerta which excuses the misdeeds of actual hatchet men with a quick, “Nothing malicious in that,” the singling out of the Limerick man left a bad taste.

Not least because his sending-off against Clare when he shouldn’t even have received a yellow card showed the dangers of such felon-setting. There was nothing personal in it. Hegarty was merely the lightning rod for those wishing to imply Limerick’s success wasn’t quite kosher.

The campaign seemed to inhibit him. Knowing that players, fans and media are poised to maximise whatever infraction you commit will do that. Yesterday Hegarty shook aside all the worries that come with being a marked man. He recovered all his old exuberance and not even the most committed hater could have found fault with him.

The American baseball great Reggie Jackson was known as ‘Mister October’ for his ability to hit top form at World Series time. The fluctuating nature of the GAA calendar means Hegarty has now been Mister December, Mister August and Mister July.

If it was the Hegarty final, it was perhaps the Diarmaid Byrnes season. Byrnes’ uncanny sang-froid was never more important than in this final. It typified his team’s grace under pressure. The same could be said for Limerick as a whole. When Richie Hogan struck a wonder-point to bring Kilkenny level with five minutes left the momentum seemed to be changing.

Few things are more difficult than edging Kilkenny out in a close finish. Yet, Limerick rallied to hit five points on the trot.

Last year’s final victory seemed like a complete performance. The only question remaining was how the champions might cope in the kind of close game no-one had been able to give them. For the third game in a row, against opposition buoyed up by goals at crucial moments and playing as well as any losing team ever has in an All-Ireland final, Limerick answered that question. In doing so they’ve added an extra dimension to their legend.

Perhaps only Cody’s four-in-a-row Kilkenny team of 2006-2009 can be considered greater. Now the question is whether Limerick can complete their own quartet in 2023?

Why not? They have won three in a row without the services of Cian Lynch – not only their best player but the best in the game. You need only look at TJ Reid’s contribution to see the difference a truly great performer makes in the very biggest matches.

That Hegarty, the Morrisseys, Hayes and Will O’Donoghue produced their best performances of the year when it mattered most should assuage concerns that Limerick are wearing down. With Lynch and Peter Casey fit again next year and the substitute showings of Cathal O’Neill and Conor Boylan suggesting they’ll challenge for starting slots, the champions should be stronger in 2023.

So why not four? Or even five? This is one of the most remarkable teams in the history of hurling. And overseeing it all is John Kiely, a man so understated that it’s tempting to underestimate his contribution.

The most suitable tribute you can pay to this most no-nonsense of individuals is that he knows what he’s doing and he knows what he’s talking about. He has created a wonderful team. And no-one on it is more wonderful than Gearóid Hegarty.

We’ve never seen the likes of him before.