THE best part of a week has now passed since Limerick entered the record books by becoming just the fourth county to win the MacCarthy Cup three times in a row.

The passage of those few days gives us time to reflect on the enormity of that achievement and of its huge significance for the game itself.

It’s damn hard to win the old trophy once, to back that up by winning it again 12 months later illustrates further what a special group of players the team manager has at his disposal.

But to carry that process a stage further, putting three together is, simply put, an extraordinary achievement.

And that’s what John Kiely, Paul Kinnerk and the rest of the management have under their guidance, an extraordinary bunch of hurlers who will now and forever be legends on Shannonside.

Every All-Ireland is special, a memory to cherish for a lifetime but Limerick’s win over Kilkenny has to be surely the crowning glory.

And it was done so with a full house at headquarters, in stark contrast to the 2020 win over Waterford which was played behind closed doors and last season’s thumping of Cork which was played out with a reduced capacity.

They were not even allowed to bring the great symbol of success back home with them because of the Covid restrictions and any celebration event was considerably curtailed.

There was a huge difference too between the two previous victories insofar as both finals were done and dusted a long way out, the writing very much on the wall as early as half-time.

Not so last Sunday, Kilkenny asked every question any opposition could possibly pose coming down the home stretch, dug in there right to the last whistle and made Limerick earn every crust that was available.

Of course, it was sweeter still when the final whistle sounded with the greatest hurling county of them all the vanquished opposition.

In fact, many would suggest that if Kilkenny are not beaten on the journey, it minimises the achievement.

That’s not true, of course, but when you come out on top against them, more so in the final itself, it adds considerably to the level of what you have achieved.

Limerick have done that now and that has to add substantially to their achievement.

This was one of the great All-Ireland hurling finals, Limerick now edging ever closer to what the great Kilkenny team accomplished in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 when they did four-in a-row. Now, with the age profile of this Limerick team and the depth of resources within the squad, who is to say they won’t be back again next Summer to emulate the Cats achievement.

Of course, it won’t be easy, it never is and it wasn’t for Limerick this time, being taken the full distance by Clare in Munster, Galway in the semi-final and Kilkenny last Sunday.

There had been a suggestion that the chasing pack were narrowing the gap and maybe they are but when push comes to shove, Limerick are still out on their own.

There is always that greater satisfaction when you have to really earn the right to be called the best team and this Limerick team are consistently coming up with the right answers They are now unbeaten in 16 championship matches against the best in Munster and subsequently in Leinster.

That is simply phenomenal given the requirements of the modern era and how competitive the game has become at that level.

On RTÉ last Sunday, Marty Morrissey described a few Limerick scores, a point apiece from Declan Hannon and one from Kyle Hayes as exhibition hurling and simplicity in motion. How right he was and how very well-phrased those descriptions were.

Hannon’s composure at centre-back when Kilkenny started to stage their comeback was a huge feature of the game while the move of Hayes from defence to attack has been a masterstroke on the management’s part.

Down through the corridors of time we have witnessed so many outstanding individual displays from a host of players from all the leading counties.

MAJESTIC

There are too many to mention but the contribution of Gearoid Hegarty last Sunday must now be added to that illustrious list. The goal he delivered was majestic, absolute genius and the points he rifled over were a joy to behold.

He left huge footprints strewn around Croke Park, the level of his performance was truly sensational.

As Cork found out in 2018, the squad depth that Limerick possess continues to be a game-changer. Last Sunday on came David Reidy, Conor Boylan and Cathal O’Neill and how important their three points proved to be at the end.

Not for the first time, the entire half-back line got on the board, Diarmuid Byrnes adding considerably to his season’s tally of points. 

Declan Hannon and Dan Morrissey raised a few more white flags and this Limerick defensive trio has to be one of the best we have ever seen, right up alongside Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan and JJ Delaney of that Kilkenny four-in-a-row team.

The big question now is, who can stop this Limerick juggernaut?

Eventually, every great team loses, every great era ends but, at this moment in time, it’s going to take something out of the ordinary to relegate them to second place.

Yes, Munster will be fascinating again next season, three counties with new management teams trying to come up with a formula that might make the difference.

That’s Cork, Tipp and Waterford while Clare, despite their poor showing in the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Kilkenny, will believe that a true reflection of them was in the epic Munster final loss to their near neighbours.

However, this continues to be Limerick’s time, monarchs of all they survey and now rightfully recognised as one of best teams from any era.