Every player that features in an All-Ireland final will pray that, at a very minimum, they leave it all out on the pitch.
Graeme Mulcahy definitely did that, and so did several of his Limerick teammates.
Dublin hurler Liam Rushe joined Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour Hurling Show and recalled the words of Kilkenny great Tommy Walsh about All-Ireland final day – Seize the day and don’t let it pass you by.
“They really didn’t,” says Rushe.
“Graeme Mulcahy just epitomised that spirit in the first few minutes, and (featuring) in those first few scores. He was buzzing around the place. He was everywhere.”
The Kilmallock man pointed early, grabbed a crucial goal and popped up again for Limerick’s last point, which ultimately proved to be the winner against Galway. Former Laois hurling boss Cheddar Plunkett also raved about the 28-year-old.
“I’ve rarely seen Graeme Mulcahy play on the other side of the field because he doesn’t really do that,” Plunkett noted. “It’s not his strong side. and yet the inter-change between Mulcahy and Seamus Flanagan – their two corner forwards – was very impressive.”
It was not just against The Tribesmen that Mulcahy made a big difference. His scoring returns for the year show that he invariably had his say on some big contests.
- 0-4 vs. Tipperary
- 0-2 vs. Cork
- 1-0 vs. Waterford
- 0-0 vs. Clare
- 1-1 vs. Carlow
- 0-3 vs. Kilkenny
- 0-4 vs. Cork
- 1-2 vs. Galway (Final)
Limerick vice captain Paul Browne, who missed the final after undergoing knee surgery, is certainly in no doubt about the importance of Mulcahy to Limerick’s quest for the Liam MacCarthy.
On Thursday, four days into the post-match revelry in The Treaty County, Browne got a snap of Mulcahy in a delivery company top and declared ‘Mulcahy always delivers’. He ended the nice play of the ‘postman always delivers’ line by picking the forward as his hurler of the year.
SportsJOE’s Niall McIntyre also believes Mulcahy deserves the accolade, ahead of Galway’s Joe Canning and Pádraic Mannion.
Limerick fill forward Aaron Gillane would surely not quibble with Browne on that shout. As for delivering quality passes to his teammates up in the Limerick frontline, the Patrckswell clubman wasn’t having it.
Gillane was just ribbing his teammate – the pair get on like a house on fire – but it was good to see the company sticking up for him.
The 22-year-old got a right scolding for using a bold word. We don’t think they quite read the situation correctly but the prompt response was on the money.
All’s well that ends well and then kicks off again the day after.
Those Limerick lads are definitely enjoying their celebrations.
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