By Cian O'Connell

Cian Lynch realised the importance of a memorable Sunday afternoon in Salthill for so many reasons.

Promotion was secured; Limerick's passionate second half display; momentum was mainatained. Several causes for satisfaction meant Limerick left Pearse Stadium heartened.

"I suppose it has been a long few years, for most of the lads there we have been in Division 1B since we started playing," Lynch remarked about the importance of this triumph for John Kiely's youthful Limerick outfit.

"At the start of the year we said we would take every game as it came, it came down to this to see who would go up. I'm sure Galway had the same aim: to get up in the top tier.

"There is no point in getting carried away either. We will enjoy this, we beat Galway, but they are going to have a massive say in the League and Championship still. This is only a small step for us, but we have to drive on from here."

Lynch is encouraged that Limerick have stitched a five match winning sequence together. "It is huge, since I started on the panel four years ago we've never had this kind of momentum," Lynch admits.

"There is no point in enjoying this by sitting back, we have to try to drive on, whether it is the League or the Munster Championship, we need to keep tapping on the wins and performances."

A valuable injection of confidence has been given to Limerick ahead of the remainder of the Allianz League and Munster Championship. "You see the Limerick supporters and what it means to them," Lynch remarked.

"We saw that with the Under 21s for the last three years, it has been a long time since Limerick won consistently or won a few big games like that one. It shows what it means, a lot of people expected the mother's to be at home enjoying Mother's Day, but a lot of them were there and it just shows that Limerick people are passionate people.

"When you are winning and the team is going well it is nice to see smiles on the faces, that is what it is about. To see young fellas where we were 10 years ago it means a lot."

The gifted Patrickswell clubman now wants Limerick to make further progress. "It is about time we started to stand up, getting involved, taking it to teams instead of waiting for them to take it to us."

Limerick are acquiring belief once more.