Enda’s Oscars for #Hurling2018

By: Enda McEvoy

Hello and welcome to – roll of trumpets! - our Championship 2018 Oscars. Without further ado, here we go.

Man of the Year: John Kiely. Had to be. Couldn’t be anyone else except the messiah who put an end to a 45-year famine and led his county back to the land of milk and honey. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Limerick were also-rans in 2017, departing the championship in the qualifiers. This year they led the white-hot favourites and defending champions by eight points entering the last minute of normal time in the All Ireland final.

Hurler of the Year: Graeme Mulcahy. Obviously this is a judgement call and there are plenty of observers who’ll advance the claims of Declan Hannon, Cian Lynch or Aaron Gillane. There are plenty of other observers who’ll advance the claims of Joe Canning – far more impressive this summer than he was when winning Hurler of the Year last season – or Padraic Mannion. 

But Limerick won the All Ireland and they couldn’t have done so without a massive input, both as scorer and as worker, from Mulcahy. The Kilmallock man hit 0-4 against Tipperary, 0-2 against Cork, 1-0 against Waterford, nothing against Clare when he was withdrawn at the interval as a sacrificial lamb following the red cards, 1-1 against Carlow, 0-3 against Kilkenny, 0-4 in the All Ireland semi-final and 1-2 against Galway. It was his goal that put Limerick on the road to victory last week and his point that clinched the silverware.

Match of the Year: Almost too many to choose from. We were absolutely spoiled for drama and quality in this golden summer. There was a point in it between Limerick and Galway; both All Ireland semi-finals were drawn, with the second of them decided by a point after a replay; one of the quarter-finals was a two-point game; there was either a point or two points in it in four matches in Leinster, with the final a draw; and the round robin in Munster saw no fewer than three draws, with three more matches decided by a puck of a ball. 

Again, different strokes for different folks, but we’re going with Limerick/Cork followed by the drawn Galway/Clare game, with the Limerick/Kilkenny All Ireland quarter-final in third place. 

Moment of the Year: Nickie Quaid’s dive at the death in the All Ireland semi-final to deprive Seamus Harnedy. A goal there, deep in injury time, and Cork win. A goal there and Limerick’s 45-year famine becomes a 46-year famine and counting. 

Comeback of the Year: Limerick’s late surge against Kilkenny at Semple Stadium is an obvious contender. Richie Hogan’s goal left them two points down and would have floored a lesser team, but the boys (literally so in most cases) in green picked themselves up and landed five of the last six points to win by two. 

But nothing can top what Kiely’s charges did against Cork at Croke Park. With the clock showing 63 minutes they trailed by 1-26 to 1-20. What happened next was a sight to behold. Instead of panicking and either hurrying their shots or going for goal, Limerick remained calm and composed. They won their frees, took their points – seven in a row – and ultimately it was Cork who needed the latest of equalisers to send proceedings to extra time. 

Disappointment of the Year: Tipperary. All those big names. All that strength in depth. No county should have been more suited to a restructured championship that placed a premium on strength in depth. But for their first outing they went to Limerick with an experimental side, were well beaten and never recovered. 

Plus ca change of the Year: Wexford. Consolidated their new status in Division 1A, meaning Davy Fitz did his job. Yet, worshipping at the altar of the sweeper, they died a slow death in an All Ireland quarter-final for the second season in a row and departed the championship with a whimper. Davy will be back in 2019. He needs to be different. It’ll be interesting to see if the penny has dropped. 

Egotist of the Year: The umpire in the Tipperary/Waterford game who, alone of all the people in the Gaelic Grounds, decided Austin Gleeson had caught the ball behind the goalline. The small matter of the upright and the net in between? Not a bother to him!

Farewell of the Year: Goodbye, readers, and thank you!