The problem for Limerick is what happens next. Has been for years. But, in particular, last year’s dismal showing in the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare is a ghost that can be laid to rest on August 10th.
Of course it would be Kilkenny in their way. At least they have a fortnight's respite to plot their assault and allow captain Donal "Dodge" O'Grady's calf to recover. "Yeah Dodge is an inspirational leader, he really rallies the troops," said towering attacker Declan Hannon after Sunday's dismantling of Wexford in Thurles.
“We wanted to do it for him because we wanted to get back to Croke Park, we didn’t do ourselves justice at all last year against Clare. But we’ve a lot of work still to do. We had a lot of missed chances in the first half again today. We’ve a lot work on, but we’re happy to be there.”
Ten wides to dilute 18 scores in the opening stanza would have been exposed by a team not as raw as Wexford.
Short break
The break matters, the shortness of it. Last year, as Munster champions, they went cold during the five-week stretch to the Clare game. It showed in Hannon’s performance and others. “Ah definitely. Even looking at Wexford, they’ve had a great campaign and fair play to them. The matches maybe told near the end of the game.
“But a two-week turnaround is great. I can’t wait for it. Training has been going great and it’s going to go even better now, I think. There will be a great buzz around and people in Limerick are mad for success, and so are we.
“We really wanted it today and it’s great to be back in Croke Park.”
A scoreline of 4-26 to 1-11 will weigh heavily on Wexford shoulders. Nobody expected it to be so easy, or for Wexford to be so jaded after four games over as many weekends. “No, you never go into an All-Ireland quarter-final expecting it to be easy,” Hannon continued. “And it wasn’t easy, Wexford are a very strong, physical team and we got two quick goals and that knocked the stuffing out of them, I think.
“We’ve been in that situation many times and it’s hard to come back. At half-time we said, ‘Lads, there’s no point in sitting back and letting Wexford back into it’, we wanted to drive on.”
Main flaw
Limerick’s main flaw on the main stage in recent times has been an inability to force themselves on the opposition. Hannon knows this as he knows no team makes this more difficult than Kilkenny. “Yeah I think there are times we have went out and let the other team dictate but we wanted to dictate the game on our own terms. We did that and thankfully we got through.
“A loss would have been a lot bigger than winning. If we lost it would have set us back the last three or four years, the good work we put in would have been gone. I know the Munster final was great last year but at the end of the day we want an All-Ireland, so that’s what we’re striving to get to.”
Kilkenny were three goals the better side when the counties last met in championship two years ago.
“I think we have a lot more confidence in the team compared to a few years ago. We were kind of going along with hope that we might get through, that maybe we will cause an upset. But now we have earned respect around the country and teams are more fearing us than us fearing them. So back to Croke Park and we’re looking forward to it.”
