John Horgan on hurling: Cork often rise to Limerick challenge but no one can touch their sustained brilliance

The last thing that hurling needed last Sunday was an All-Ireland final that had run its course long before the final whistle.

The consensus in advance of the decider between Limerick and Galway was that the championship as a whole had not reached the lofty heights that had been reached in previous campaigns.

However, an epic final would have gone some way in compensating for what had transpired at provincial and in the All-Ireland campaign in the months preceding the journey to headquarters for the final game of the 2026 intercounty season.

The potential was certainly there for the type of contest we all craved, the greatest team of the modern era against an up-and-coming side who had been very impressive in their semi-final victory over a hotly fancied Cork and in their Leinster final triumph over Dublin.

Sometimes, however, great expectations fail to materialise, one team miles better than the other, the latter helpless to stem the raging tide that was Limerick.

This was a final as lopsided as it gets but we still sat back and enjoyed it because we had the privilege of watching the greatest hurling team that I have ever seen perform.

That greatness might not have been similarly viewed by others in the same way as they made comparisons with the great Kilkenny teams under Brian Cody, the Cork three-in-a-row team of the '70s, the Tipp team of the '60s and other great teams through the ages.

But facts and statistics always speak for themselves, the proof is in the pudding and what this Limerick team has achieved since they burst into the spotlight in 2018.

One stat tells everything, six All-Ireland titles in nine years have now surely rubberstamped their greatness.

That is a word never to be used lightly and a scan of the dictionary gives it its true meaning.

It reads: 'persistent, relentless pursuit of excellence driven by passion and a desire to keep on improving'.

All of that surely represent everything about this Limerick team.

For the neutral observer, last Sunday's final was a massive disappointment, it just never ignited into any type of a serious contest and although there was only five points separating the teams at the interval, the writing was very much on the wall at that still very early juncture in the game.

It would have been considerably more if it wasn't for the excellence of Darach Fahy in the Galway goal line, he made two tremendous stops from Gearoid Hegarty.

There is always a fear that a team making its first All-Ireland final appearance against an opponent so seasoned in the requirements of the big will not have the tools to ensure that we are still on the edge of our seats coming down the home stretch.

Opposing a team of Limerick's proven stature you need almost everything to go right, your big players performing at the top end of their game and to be still in the game with 20, 25 minutes to go.

Galway were still in the equation at half-time, they had to be being just five points in arrears but it was Limerick's top players who were ruling the roost.

Point to prove

Aaron Gillane had a point to prove after being replaced in his last two outing but where all the greats are concerned, form is temporary, class is permanent.

Gillane made a huge contribution, a tally of four points plus numerous assists and danger lurking whenever he received possession.

Diarmuid Byrnes split the sticks with some sublime scores from the placed ball, the highest scorong half-back now in the history of the game.

Kyle Hayes was simply majestic, scored a few beauties into the bargain, Will O'Donoghue too and once more the Limerick half-backs were the foundation stone for their ultimate triumph.

Cian Lynch ran the show at midfield with Cathal O'Neill having one of his finest hours in a Limerick shirt further in.

In the opening half, Limerick had seven different scorers, Galway had just two, depending almost entirely on Aaron Niland scores from the dead ball.

With Limerick taking complete control in the second-half one began to feel sorry for Galway but in total admiration for what John Kiely's men were producing.

Outclassed

Galway had it all too easy in the All-Ireland semi-final against a Cork team that were outclassed and maybe there is a message in that.

This is the second year on the trot that a county that excelled in the semi-final got battered in the final, Cork in 2025 and now Galway.

Limerick's win over Clare battle-hardened them all the more.

Yes, Galway must be commended for what they achieved this season but, at the same time they had not faced the level of intensity that this Limerick team brings.

One of their main features in their now six All-Ireland winning seasons has been their sheer workrate and for players who have won so much that has to be their one big trademark.

The energy that they bring is phenomenal, their passion, their power all combining to have made them for what they have become, the best team that this column has ever seen in over 60 years watching and loving this great game.

They have brought the game to an entirely different level altogether.

The game has evolved so much through the years and whilst this season of hurling will not rate as highly as others have, Limerick's majesty is what we'll remember as the days shorten.

Yes, they have everything at their disposal, maybe lots more than others but the work on the field has to be undertaken from one year to the next.

Silencing the doubters

We were told that after losing to Dublin last season and the previous year too when they failed to reach the heights that they had been so accustomed to that their race was run. But those who might have been Doubting Thomas' reckoned without the managerial input of John Kiely, Paul, Kinnerk, Caroline Currid and so many more in the backroom team.

The last two seasons were consigned to history and it was clear from the ouset this time that there was going to be another one almighty push to the summit.

Even in the Munster league that was evident, they wanted everything the whole shebang and now they have got it, another grand slam of Munster league, national league, Munster and All-Ireland.

Here on Leeside the question is probably being posed, how would Cork have fared against them last Sunday?

We'll never know but it's almost certain we'd have got a contest because both bring out the best in each other. Of course, first, you must get there and any speculation now is pure conjecture.

Maybe many wanted a Galway win last Sunday, here's one who didn't because you must always stand back and admire greatness, Limerick are just that, great.

It's Limerick's hurling world, the rest just exist in it. Simply the best, ahead of all the rest.