Before the game, it looked like Kilkenny against Limerick would be a one-sided Hurling final. Some critics were purring (excuse the pun) in anticipation at the thought of Kilkenny securing another Liam MacCarthy trophy, whilst some were thinking that if there was any team capable of wresting the Hurling crown off them, it was Limerick.
However, Hurling isn’t debated on television, in newspapers or on internet forums, it’s played out in front of 82,000 people and a worldwide viewing audience, and on the day, it came down to who rose to the occasion, who would cope with the pressure.
In short, it was Kilkenny, who blew Limerick apart in the first ten minutes to claim their second Guinness All Ireland SHC title in a row at Croke Park by 2-19 to 1-15.
The men from Limerick came to GAA HQ with an insatiable hunger to end a 34-year All Ireland famine but Kilkenny tore into them without any remorse or romanticism during an opening onslaught that shocked even their most ardent fans, but it was a lesson in how to play Hurling.
Limerick had spent far too long away from the GAA’s top table but they were gone as soon as they stepped on the pitch. Ten points down after ten minutes and there was no way back for the underdogs.
Inevitably, Limerick’s mix of guts, heart and bloody-mindedness fell short against a side that held the edge in terms of skill and pure ability in every position on the field.
After ten minutes, the Limerick supporters were gripped with a fear that they were about to become the victims of an unprecedented mauling, but they battled gamely and go back to the south west with their pride intact and the good wishes of so many neutrals who were captivated by their storybook season.
Two quick-fire goals within one action-packed minute by Eddie Brennan and the ever-dependable Henry Shefflin saw Kilkenny take a comfortable lead, which as much as Limerick tried, they couldn’t get round to ever over-turning.
This opening salvo dented the Limerick front-line so much that it took them until the 13th minute to get on the scoreboard. It didn’t get any better on the attacking front as Limerick’s attacking trio of Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Brian Begley and Donie Ryan didn’t score a single point all afternoon for the men in green.
Shefflin was having a half to remember, scoring 1-2, before he was forced to hobble off with a cruciate knee injury which could rule him out of playing Hurling until next year. By then though, the ‘Sheff’s’ influence on the pitch had definitely been felt by then, and Kilkenny were cooking on gas, going into the break 2-10 to 0-08.
Limerick perked up after the break, once they realised that they could actually venture into the Kilkenny half to attack the Cats goal.
A few scores here and a goal there helped the Limerick cause, but they could never get within six points of Kilkenny, and the game drifted along to its inevitable climax as the two sides traded scores and Eddie Brennan stole the last point of the day to give the Cats a comfortable seven-point win.
Speaking after the final whistle, Brian Cody admitted that the win over Limerick was the sweetest of his five All Ireland successes as Kilkenny manager.
"This is undoubtedly the best of the five All Ireland titles that I've won. Noel Hickey went off early and then we lost Henry Shefflin at half-time. That would have killed off any other team but not this one. I am so proud of the lads," he added.
Hickey aggravated a hamstring injury he picked up against Wexford and was substituted after just 23 minutes, while Kilkenny captain Shefflin damaged his cruciate ligaments and was forced to hobble up the Hogan Stand steps to collect the Liam MacCarthy Cup after the game.
Cody and his team remained in the Croke Park dressing rooms for 30 minutes before emerging to face the media and the Kilkenny manager said that time was used to savour another All Ireland success.
"It's a special time in the dressing-room just after a team wins the All Ireland. I know some people complain that the media are not allowed straight after the game but it is a special time for the players who have given everything," Cody said.
"It's just them inside there and the four walls all year down in Nowlan Park every night at training. It's a special place for them and to have the MacCarthy there and just themselves - it means a hell of a lot to them. It means the same to me as does to the players. Just a terrific, superb feeling," he added.
Henry Shefflin rounded off a brilliant season as he captained Kilkenny to victory and while the Ballyhale Shamrocks star 0sted that his highlight of the year came when he walked up the same steps on St Patrick's Day to collect the All Ireland crown with his hometown club.
"When I look back on this year, it's been an absolutely amazing year. To be up here on March 17 with my club, that was something special. Today was a brilliant, brilliant occasion, but to win with your club is just a bit different, a bit more special."
The 27-year-old made a stirring victory speech after accepting the Liam MacCarthy Cup and revealed that it was a dream of his to captain Kilkenny to All Ireland glory.
"When that (the All Ireland club final) was over, when I was made captain of Kilkenny, I was always dreaming that someday I would be up in the Hogan Stand talking to the people as they say. I never wanted to believe it, but thank God it happened," Shefflin added.
Limerick boss Richie Bennis has admitted that Kilkenny's whirlwind start shredded his plans to keep the Cats scoreless in the opening minutes of the All Ireland final.
Bennis spoke in the build-up to the clash about repeating history after he was involved in the last Limerick side to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
However, there was to be no fairytale ending to a season that saw the Shannonsiders gain their first win in seven championship campaigns.
"The whole country had us written off before we ever set foot in the stadium, but we came up here confident in our ability that we could win the game," Bennis said.
"There was no point in coming otherwise, but unfortunately for us it did not work out the way we had planned. Our plan was not concede early scores to Kilkenny but we let them in for two early goals and were playing catch up for the rest of the match.
"If we were to have any chance we needed a similar start to the one we got against Waterford, or at least prevent Kilkenny from starting well. The two goals were killer blows, but credit to the lads they got stuck in and made a match of it.”
Bennis insisted that all of his players would make themselves available for another assault on the All Ireland next year.
“We'll take stock of the defeat in the coming weeks and see where it leads to. They are a young team and they know there is more in them. We drowned our sorrows and began to think about next season at a later date," said the Limerick boss.
"It's been a brilliant year and the management and players remain upbeat following this defeat. They had a good meal on the night of the final and a chat the next morning. They're obviously disappointed that they didn't win, but they're looking forward to next year already and want to go one better in 2008."