The current Limerick senior hurling panel entered uncharted waters last Sunday by beating Clare and securing the first ever six-in-a-row of provincial Championships for any county in a competition that is coming up on 140 years.
Under inspirational manager John Kiely, this team has beaten all that has gone before it, and deserves every accolade bestowed upon it, such has been its dominance in Munster and All Ireland competition.
Two-time All Star goalkeeper, Nickie Quaid from Effin, has been central to that success, and last Sunday proved his worth to the team time and again as Clare tried might and main to reel in the Treaty team. Quaid, who celebrates his 35th birthday on Wednesday played every single minute of a championship journey that sees Limerick just a couple of outings away from achieving a record five All-Ireland Championships in succession.
The Quaid service to the county scene extends to eight consecutive decades, through the twins of Jack and Jim (1950s/’60s), Nickie’s late father Tommy (1970s/’80s), Joe (1990s/2000s), and thereafter Nickie.
The win over Clare marked Nickie’s 145th senior outing for Limerick, and his 40th Munster Championship fixture.
It was then-county manager Donal O’Grady (Cork), back in 2010, who drafted Nickie into the senior set-up, initially as an outfield player but that soon changed.
“Nickie spoke to me the night Donal rang him and asked him would he play in goals,” Joe Quaid recalled to GAA.ie. “He asked me what I thought, and I said, ‘Would you prefer to play outfield?’ He said, ‘I would, but I don’t know if I’d make it outfield and he wants me to play in goals’. I said, ‘Well then go play in goals. It’s an honour to play anywhere on a county team and you’re a great goalkeeper’.”