Declan Hannon: There's a great hunger to drive on

Limerick captain Declan Hannon says that there's "a great hunger" within the camp to keep delivering All-Ireland hurling titles after they clinched their third Liam MacCarthy in a row with victory against Kilkenny on Sunday.

Hannon has now won four All-Irelands as captain of the Treaty County, but this was perhaps the hardest earned.

The 29-year-old Adare man admitted his side came under "savage pressure" at Croke Park as roasting temperatures and the Cats' sheer desperation to win made for a pulsating encounter.

Ultimately Limerick saw it out, and Hannon was left overjoyed.

"It was unbelievable," he said. "The intensity of the game. I don't know what it was like to watch but on the field it felt like a real physical game, ebbing and flowing.

"The crowd were in it from start to finish. Maybe the last few years we built up leads, maybe the games were over earlier. Even the noise, having a full house at Croke Park, you’d miss it so much. We thought last year the noise was good but it was an extra level today.

"The three-in-a-row for the group is a serious achievement. The standard of hurling in the country is amazing and to be able to back it up year in, year out is a testament to the lads and the hard work and the hunger I suppose that's still there in the group.

"It would be easy to roll over and say, 'ah we have enough, let somebody else do it'. But there's a great hunger there to drive on."

Limerick were without the injured Cian Lynch but such is their immense strength in depth, they got the job done regardless.

However, Hannon played down suggestions that scalping Kilkenny in a final was key to laying down a marker that they are now building a dynasty.

"I don't know, All-Ireland finals, if we're there... sure we don't choose we