Limerick hurling champions finally receive All Ireland medals

Limerick hurling champions receive medals – Aonghus O’Brien, Paul Kinnerk, John Kiely, Alan Cunningham and Donal O’Grady in attendance at the Limerick GAA gala medal ceremony at the Strand Hotel, Limerick to honour their All-Ireland senior hurling title winners from 2019, 2020 and 2021. Picture: Diarmuid Greene.

Limerick hurling champions finally receive All Ireland medals

By I Love Limerick correspondent Rachel Petticrew

Gearoid Hegarty and Sean Finn after receiving their medals. Picture: Diarmuid Greene

advertisement

advertisement

advertisement

Limerick’s senior hurling champions descended on the Limerick Strand Hotel last Saturday night, November 20, to receive their long-awaited 2020 and 2021 All-Ireland medals. 

The gala celebration was attended by many of Limerick’s sporting elites, both on and off the pitch. 

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 51 Limerick senior hurlers were finally awarded trophies and medals for victories spanning from 2019 to 2021.

This included an incredible two All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and three Munster Championship titles. The team also received medals for two national and one provincial league victories.

Oíche speisialta @DecHannon ✨?

GRMA @LimerickCLG @LimerickStrand ?✨ pic.twitter.com/DKcuOI9AGd

— Louise Cantillon (@LaoisDeCantalun) November 22, 2021

GAA chairman, Larry McCarthy, was on hand to distribute the honours while Limerick senior hurling manager, John Kiely, spoke passionately about the future of the game here in the Treaty City. 

Players, team and their families pictured at the Gala medal ceremony. Picture: Diarmuid Greene.

The Limerick Leader reported Kiely as saying, “It’s an incredible thing that we had to wait this long to do as much as we have to do this evening. Inside in each of those boxes was a huge story for each one of those players.” 

In 2018, Limerick beat Galway to win their first All-Ireland Senior Hurling title in 45 years. This triumph was followed by a win against Waterford in 2020. In August this year, the team retained the Liam MacCarthy cup by securing another victory against Cork – 100 years on from winning the 1921 All-Ireland final. 

Earlier in the week, Limerick’s minor hurlers were presented with their 2020 Munster Minor Hurling Championship medals at the Woodlands House Hotel. 

34 players received awards from Limerick hurling star, Cian Lynch, and Munster (formerly Limerick) GAA chairman, Liam Lenihan. 

For more information on Limerick GAA, go HERE 

For more sports stories, go HERE 

Earlier in the week, Limerick’s minor hurlers were presented with their 2020 Munster Minor Hurling Championship medals. Picture: Diarmuid Greene.