Why Dublin's win over Limerick will be enshrined in hurling history
It was the final day of Na Fianna's annual mini-leagues on Mobhi Road yesterday.
Always a great occasion, this year felt even more special considering what many had witnessed in Croke Park the evening before and how so many of the All-Ireland club champions played a part in one of the greatest upsets in GAA history.
From Niall Ó Ceallacháin, the architect of this stunning success, to Sean Currie, the electric inside-forward, and Conor McHugh, the former county footballer who defended like a dervish on Saturday. There was plenty of glory to go around in Glasnevin yesterday and the stars of tomorrow could be informed that it was in the minileagues Currie and McHugh set out on the journey that led them to be part of the side that delivered the shock of the summer. 21 June 2025; John Hetherton of Dublin celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Dublin and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
McHugh's performance at corner-back particularly caught the eye, as he helped to shut down the fearsome Limerick full-forward line, alongside John Bellew and Paddy Smyth, the trio continually putting their bodies on the line. It's made even more remarkable when you consider it's McHugh's first season as a county hurler.
'It's that lad's mindset,' Ó Ceallacháin said. 'You've seen him at the club with regards to what he can do there but that's totally mind-set.
'What I would say on top of that, he could have played nine or 10 years for Dublin, there's no question about that and you know why that didn't happen.
'For him, first of all, to want to do it and to come in and be with the lads for the first time, but for him to do it at that level to be honest, it's all mindset upstairs and that's what he absolutely thrives on.'
Saturday's extraordinary performance against arguably the greatest team ever felt like the most significant step forward yet by Dublin hurlers, especially given they had to do it for 55 minutes after Chris Crummey, the team's beating heart, was sent off for a mis-timed challenge on Gearóid Hegarty.
There has been loads of money pumped into the game in the capital simply so they can enjoy moments like these, but Ó Ceallachaín, as is his way, didn't want to dwell on the landmark feeling of the day, pointing out that this was game two of four for the team in the All-Ireland Championship – they beat McDonagh Cup champions Kildare last weekend.
However, he did reckon that the close-knit nature of the group was key in them managing the chaos of Saturday. Limerick's Kyle Hayes dejected after Limerick's loss. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
'The whole thing means a hell of a lot to them. They're very well connected group, they're very close and they have each other's backs. It means a lot to them. And they look out for each other. And in the chaos of what's out there in Championship hurling, you need to know that the lad beside you has your back.
'And in that dressing room, the lads do.'
It has been an up-and-down summer for Dublin, veering from mediocrity to excellence, sometimes even within games, such as the Leinster SHC test against Kilkenny.
However, the Dubs boss, who led Na Fianna to an All-Ireland club title earlier this year, held his hands up and felt that some of the inconsistency – such as the poor display against Galway – was on him.
'First of all, the Kilkenny game. When we looked at it, the lazy analysis of that game was we had a poor first half, and then just came out and played. That wasn't the case.
'If you look at that game, we conceded goals in that game that we just should not have. The elements that day, we were up against it in that first half, and we actually hurled very well for long periods. So, there was a level standard of performance there.
'The following week against Galway, we were not where we wanted to basically be. I put that back on myself. We had three games in three weeks. It's my first year at this, and I don't think I managed those weeks well, to be honest. Did I set the lads right up for it? But also, games take on their own flow.
'I forget the number of wides that we had in that first 25 minutes against Galway, but that sucks energy out of any team. The reason I say that is there is a base performance there, I don't think we did a huge turnaround.
'We didn't look deep into our souls the day or two after the Galway defeat.' Dublin goalkeeper Sean Brennan saves a late free
©INPHO/James Crombie
'There was a base performance there. Some things just did not go right that day, but we didn't just throw every-thing out. We knew that certain things were where they needed to basically be, but some things in the Galway performance just were not good enough. Outside looking in, that was probably 'aw, they're back to where they where'.
'We'd look under it and feel that there's a lot that was still OK about that day. I'm not understating performance or that we needed to be better. But with less focus on the outcome, there's a lot of trust there that there'd be a base performance there and that we'd be in games.'
And now Dublin go on to game three of four in the Liam MacCarthy race. For many, it will be felt that they are in bonus territory, but after putting their bodies on the line – from Sean Brennan's remarkable late save to Paddy Doyle's heroic bodyblock – there is a sense that Dublin won't be denied.
It is the sort of attitude they need to take into the semi-final against Cork in a couple of weeks' time. Whatever happens from here, Saturday's remarkable win will go down in the hurling history books.
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