Replying To Oldtourman:  "I would not put that much emphasis on that 2019 win V limerick for the following reasons, although it was a great win
(1) No hurling team that had regained the All Ireland after a ten year lapse had retained their title and that includes Kilkenny, except Wexford in '56 and they were a vastly expierianced team, who had already played in two Losing finals.
(2) For whatever reason over the past number of years Munster Champions have always found it difficult to win Semi Finals and even KK fell as Leinster Champions at the same stage this year.
(3) Declan Hannon appeared to have had a health issue on the day and yet he was left on for 35 minutes, when similar issues cropped up down in Cork in '18 he was replaced after 7 minutes. The fact that Kyle Hayes was played so deep from the start that day goes to suggest there was concerns in relation to this, even before the start of the game.
(4) In '18 everybody could see that Seamus Flanagan played a huge role in winning practically every match and though he was not as good in 19, due to injury, he almost certainly should have been brought on, as overall our FFL was lightweight without him, and he was fit by then.
(5) Both Cian Lynch and Hegarty were playing poorly and regardless of past reputations should have been replaced. Taking off Will O'Donoghue who was playing well was a very poor move.
(6) When Shane Dowling was brought on he should have been put straight on all scoreable frees as both our short and long distance free takers were having an average day on placed balls.
(7) Lack of height in our full back line led to we being exposed and 1.7 from play was got off English and Casey. One can only wonder if we had realized how good Dan Morrissey and Nash could be there, would the result have been different, as at least one of the 'sitting' duo should have replaced.
(8) Was Kilkenny's win that much of a surprise, they had ran Limerick to two points in Thurles in '18 and we had an idiot of a sports reporter in the Limerick Leader claiming we were going to win by ten points in '19.
(9) A few Sundays after the '17 U 21 final, I was at the County Final in Limerick. On my way out of the grounds I saw Pat Donnelly, the manager of the U21 team, across the road. I approached him and congratulated him on the teams win and casually asked did he think there was an All Ireland (senior of course) in this team. He appeared to give the question some thought and then replied 'I think they could do it in 2020'. This would suggest that never having lost this side did not appreciate what it was to lose and were possibly quite over confident due to their unexpected win in'18.
I would say that beating Galway in this years Leinster final with the team a year old and without their star forward Adrian Mullan was actually an even better win."

Replying To Cockney_Cat:  ""(1) No hurling team that had regained the All Ireland after a ten year lapse had retained their title and that includes Kilkenny, except Wexford in '56 and they were a vastly expierianced team, who had already played in two Losing finals."

Kilkenny won the 1932 & 1933 All-Irelands after previously winning in 1922.

Cork won the 1941 & 42 All-Irelands, after last winning it in 1931."

Replying To Oldtourman:  "I should have said more than ten years. Limerick were forty five. Kilkenny failed in '48, to Laois, with a very expiereienced team, after an eight year lapse, in 23 after a nine year lapse and in Fifty eight after ten. So broadly speaking teams after a reasonable span out of the reckoning find it hard to win again the following year. The very good Tipp team of '59 also come to mind, Also as regards the teams you mention above Kilkenny had played in three finals in 31 and Cork had played in the '39 Final and only lost to limerick in a replay in 40- Limerick had not a single player who played in an All Ireland before in '18- so it was possible that their new found hero status have have leaned heavily on them.."