Limerick are All-Ireland champions for the first time since 1973, after beating Galway 3-16 to 2-18 at Croke Park.
It's been a long 45-year wait for Limerick, made all the more excruciating by having to watch bordering neighbours taste success after success in the interim. Five times the Treaty had been to hurling's biggest day since 1973, and they had returned back to Shannonside with their tails well and truly between their legs.
Opportunity has come and passed, and no county knows better than Limerick the perils of getting too excited about underage success. Nonetheless, when John Kiely led their U21 side to All-Ireland glory in 2015, and when they backed it up 12 months ago with a second triumph in three years at the grade, there was a sense that something special was on the horizon. However, few expected that this young side would mature so quickly.
The Treaty came to Croke Park today for a crack at All-Ireland champions Galway, having played with a swagger and abandon all season long.
For all the talk of a fast Galway start throughout the week, it was the men in green who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the early stages, racing into a 0-03 to 0-00 lead.
However, Galway quickly settled with David Burke and Pádraic Mannion pointing the way forward, as Joe Canning was his usual accurate self from placed balls.
The Tribesmen perhaps should have been further behind after the early stages as Limerick hit six wides in the opening ten minutes.
With the game in the balance as the sides settled, it was Limerick who landed the first significant blow as Graeme Mulcahy bundled the sliotar across the line after 16 minutes. It may not have been an all-time great final goal, but they all count as the Limerick fans were sent into raptures.
The Treaty were winning battles all over the field, with Mike Casey keeping tabs on Johnny Glynn and Declan Hannon sending over two points while holding Joe Canning scoreless from play. John Kiely's troops were finding space easier, making smart use of hand-passes as they strode into a four-point lead at half-time, 1-10 to 0-09.
Limerick were looking to kick on in the second half, and that's exactly what transpired as they quickly doubled their lead from four to eight, largely thanks to three from Kyle Hayes.
Any suggestions that it was going to be an easy run-in were quickly silenced, as Joe Canning scored two from play in quick succession to raise the Tribesmen.
However, on 54 minutes, it swung back in the Treaty's favour. Tom Morrissey stole in from the right, skipping by a host of Galway defenders before firing it past James Skehill to send Limerick into a nine-point lead.
The Treaty were in dreamland, and had an opportunity to wrap it up moments later, but Séamus Flanagan was denied by Skehill.
Galway looked to chase the game as they pulled it back to five, but Limerick's bench wasn't being hyped up during the week for nothing. In the 68th minute, super sub Shane Dowling was on hand to bury it into the Hill 16 goal for the second consecutive game.
As the game ticked into eight minutes of injury-time, Conor Whelan raised a green flag for the Tribesmen to make it uncomfortable for Limerick heading down the final straight. It was made all the more uncomfortable when Joe Canning rocketed a 21-yard free into the top corner to bring it back to two.
When Niall Burke pulled it back to one, memories of 1974, 1980, 1996, 2007 and in particular 1994 began to creep into the mind of every Limerick man, woman and child in HQ.
Graeme Mulcahy pointed to keep Limerick at bay, but Canning sent over a 65 to bring it back to one.
Nonetheless, the Treaty weren't to be denied, as a late Canning free fell short, as Limerick ended 45 years of hurt and secured their first All-Ireland final since 1973.
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Referee: James Owens
Attendance: 82,300 (approx)
Scorers for Limerick: Graeme Mulcahy 1-02, Tom Morrissey 1-01, Kyle Hayes 0-04, Aaron Gillane 0-03 (0-02 frees), Shane Dowling 1-00, Declan Hannon 0-02, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-01, Darragh O'Donovan 0-01, Cian Lynch 0-01, Séamus Flanagan 0-01.
Scorers for Galway: Joe Canning 1-10 (1-06 frees, 0-02 65s), David Burke 0-03, Joseph Cooney 0-03, Conor Whelan 1-00, Pádraic Mannion 0-01, Niall Burke 0-01.
Galway
1. James Skehill
2. Adrian Tuohy
3. Daithí Burke
4. John Hanbury
5. Pádraic Mannionn
6. Gearóid McInerney
7. Aidan Harte
8. Johnny Coen
9. David Burke (captain)
10. Joseph Cooney
11. Joe Canning
15. Cathal Mannion
13. Conor Whelan
12. Johnny Glynn
14. Conor Cooney
Subs:
Niall Burke for Cathal Mannion (46th minute)
Jason Flynn for Conor Cooney (temporary - 49th-52nd minute)
Paul Killeen for John Hanbury (57th minute)
Jason Flynn for Conor Cooney (59th minute)
Seán Loftus for Johnny Coen (60th minute)
Fearghal Flannery for James Skehill (61st minute)
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid
2. Seán Finn
3. Mike Casey
4. Richie English
5. Diarmaid Byrnes
6. Declan Hannon (captain)
7. Dan Morrissey
8. Darragh O'Donovan
9. Cian Lynch
10. Gearóid McInerney
11. Kyle Hayes
12. Tom Morrissey
13. Aaron Gillane
14. Séamus Flanagan
15. Graeme Mulcahy
Subs:
Richie McCarthy for Mike Casey (50th minute)
Shane Dowling for Gearóid Hegarty (56th minute)
Peter Casey for Séamus Flanagan (64th minute)
William O'Donoghue for Darragh O'Donovan (67th minute)
Tom Condon for Richie English (73rd minute)