Declan Hannon: 2020 is worlds apart from 2018 for Limerick

Two years are a long time in hurling.

In 2018, John Kiely's young band of upstarts wowed the country, storming to an unlikely title.

Fast-forward two years, and they are back in the decider once more. But not as underdogs this time around, rather as overwhelming favourites having swept every team aside this year.

Oh, and there's been a global pandemic, forcing the season into the winter.

"It's the total opposite of the build-up to 2018," acknowledges captain Declan Hannon.

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"First and foremost we're putting up a Christmas tree and trying to get ready for an All-Ireland final which is gas. I'm delighted to be back in the final, the second time in three years. The hype around Limerick in 2018 was massive, there were flags and bunting all over the county.

"Around the city, everywhere I went people wanted to talk about it whereas this year you're not going anywhere, you're not meeting anybody, we're working from home as much as we can like everyone else around the country.

"[But] I wouldn't say it's easier, no. As players, your job is to go on the pitch in the best possible shape you can and to put in the best possible performance you can. In 2018 supporters being there was brilliant, but at the end of the day it's down to the players to perform on the pitch. If you don't do that you won't win. From our point of view we're fully focused on getting a performance on Sunday"

'A role reversal'

Not only will they take to the field in an empty Croke Park, but they also enter as favourites.

"In 2018 everybody in Ireland wanted Limerick to win bar if you were from Galway and I suppose this year it'll be everybody in Ireland wants Waterford to win, bar if you're from Limerick," Hannon noted.

"So it's a total role reversal for ourselves. But again, it's down to us to focus on our preparation and to get to the pitch in the best possible shape and to put in a performance on the day and if it's good enough it's good enough and if it's not, it's not. But we'll be doing everything in our power to get that All-Ireland final win."

But to counteract the weight of expectation, the Treaty do benefit from big-game experience, and they do not have the burden of trying to end a 45-year wait.

"We're more experienced now of playing in these bigger games whereas in '18, it was for a lot of us our first time in semi-finals and All-Ireland finals in Croke Park," explained the Adare club-man.

"Again, it's going to be different again this time with no crowd there. In '18 the noise around Croke Park and even with the supporters driving into the stadium was amazing, it gave you a big boost.

"That's not going to be there this time and I'm sure it's massively disappointing for Waterford supporters as well as Limerick supporters. They're both magnificent to get behind teams. There'd be thousands and thousands travelling from Munster to Croke Park if it was possible. That's going to be different as well, really quiet in Croke Park for an All-Ireland final which is very strange."

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Resurgent Déise

Hannon is braced for a stern test on Sunday.

"[I'm] massively impressed (with Waterford) and I have been all year with all their games," he warned.

"I don't think they've lost a whole pile in league or championship since the start of the year. Waterford were in the All-Ireland final in 2017 as well, it's not as if you become a bad team overnight or anything. I suppose '18 and '19 just didn't go their way.

"We in Limerick know how a few years can go by very, very quickly with very few wins. It can change very, very quickly as well and Liam Cahill has done a serious job with them because they were very, very impressive against Kilkenny the last day to come back from the number of points down they were at half-time, against a team like Kilkenny. You'd have to tip your hat to them.

"The intensity that they brought to [the Munster final] was unbelievable. It was probably the first time all year that we'd met anything like it. They attack in numbers and they defend in numbers. They're unbelievably skilful on the ball, look at Stephen Bennett at the minute, you give him a yard or two and he'll punish you. Same with Dessie Hutchinson and these lads. I think it's the intensity they brought, their work rate and they're a team, a real unit at the minute and it's very hard to break that.

It was probably the first time all year that we'd met anything like it.

"It just seems they're massively together at the minute, they have a huge hunger in them as well it seems on the pitch. They're really, really working hard for each other, and with a massive amount of skill there as well.

"There's a massive togetherness and a real hunger that is really difficult to break down and in that semi-final they were very, very good."

Watch the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final between Limerick and Waterford live on Sky Sports Mix from 2:30pm on Sunday.