Barry Nash pinching himself as Limerick now up there with 'the greatest'

Shortly after the final whistle at Croke Park and Barry Nash is taking it all in.

The South Liberties man was a non-playing substitute when Limerick ended their 45-year wait for Liam MacCarthy in 2018.

Fast forward to 2023 and he has started, and won four All-Ireland finals in a row. Up there with the Kilkenny 2006-09 vintage of Jackie Tyrell, Tommy Walsh and Henry Shefflin.

Not to mention Derek Lyng, whose Cats side they have just defeated for the second year in a row.

"It's a sweet feeling," he says. "When we look back on our career, once we finish up, I think that’s when you can really look back and you’re up there with one of the greatest teams that’s ever played the game, in that Kilkenny team in the 2000s.

"We looked up to a lot of those Kilkenny hurlers growing up. They would have been the guys at the top at the time.

"It hasn't really sunk in that we’re getting to that level – but to beat Kilkenny any day of the week is a phenomenal achievement. The tradition in that county, the hurlers that they have.

"We knew what was coming today, those guys are phenomenal hurlers and I think they don't get the credit that they deserve, they’re an unbelievable team."

The men in black and amber certainly made them work for it. After Paddy Deegan's second-half goal, Kilkenny were five points up. But the concession only sparked the champions into life. They dominated the remaining half hour, corner-back Nash on the scoresheet as they hit 19 of the last 24 points.

"That was a real kick up the... you know what I mean," says Nash. "We really had to get going then.

"You look up at the scoreboard, you're five points down, 'Okay, lads, come on, we’ve got to tune in.’ We got the first few scores in the second half; they get a goal, a real