Galway All-Ireland win good for hurling, says Jason Flynn

Michael Bolton

As Galway prepare for their first All-Ireland final since 2018, Jason Flynn looks back on when they lost out to Limerick.

Galway went into the 2018 final as defending champions, as Limerick were aiming to end their own streak without an All-Ireland title.

The tribesmen went in as favourites, as they continued the momentum from the 2017 win. However, Limerick had different ideas, winning their first title since 1973.

That day started an era of dominance by Limerick that was last seen by the Kilkenny hurlers in the 2000s, as Flynn looked back on the intensity that the Limerick team brought to Croke Park that day.

"In 2018, we were that benchmark.  Looking back on that day, I just remember the energy of Limerick and the youth that they had.

"It was score after score; they never gave us a chance to breathe in that game. I know we came back into it at the end, but their energy and appetite that day were too much.

"It is crazy to think that was the platform for them to come on and win so much. When you look at the management teams, they are probably the two most experienced management teams in the country.

"The roles are reversed. It will be interesting to look at how we can bring energy to the game compared to some of Limerick's older guys."

The years that followed were difficult for Galway, as the closest they got to another All-Ireland was the semi-finals in 2023.

With players such as Joe Canning and David Burke leaving the panel, younger players have stepped up and made their presence felt.

This team has shown no fear this season, with big scores in the Leinster final win over Dublin and the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.

If they are to win against Limerick on Sunday, they will likely need another clinical display from their forwards, as Flynn praised manager Micheál Donoghue for the changes he has made.

“Last year, we played a different way, and it didn’t work. Then Micheál came back with a game plan at the start of pre-season, and they went with it and they obviously had some tough days with it too when it didn’t work out. But they learned from those.

“That was the advantage of using the system throughout the year, in that they have learned how to tweak it and place players in different positions.

"They still have the freedom to hurl, to score, to get up and down the pitch. They are still getting players forward. And young Rabbitte is having a remarkable year.”

After Limerick's four-in-a-row between 2020 and 2023, Clare and Tipperary won the next two titles, and Flynn says it will be good for the sport should Galway win.

“There's probably been better seasons, but it has been good. It's been interesting to see Galway get to a final. It was similar last year with Tipp as well.

“It's always nice to see a new team get to a final, and if Galway win, that will be four different winners over the last four years, and that's good for Ireland. It's good for every other county as well.”