Nickie Quaid’s amazing save was voted as the best sports moment of the weekend by a huge U.S. magazine

Paul Moore

An outstanding save that’s getting worldwide applause.

Given the fact that Limerick vs Cork was the second 90 minute thriller that we saw at Croker over the weekend, it’s hard to choose the defining moment in a game that ebbed and flowed for the large majority.

This being said, after Limerick’s ferocious comeback to force extra-time, it was clear that the Treaty County weren’t going to be caught by the Rebels but the outcome could have been so very different.

Anyone that was wearing a green jersey must have been fearing the worst when Seamus Harnedy received he the ball in the square in the 72nd minute.

With the game tied at 1-26, Harnedy dummied inside the defenders and it looked like he was about to bury the sliotar into the net to send Cork into the final.

Step forward Nickie Quaid with a superb stop that turned the game on its head in an instant.

Check out this unbelievable save by Nickie Quaid! pic.twitter.com/Y3deg0CM18

— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 29, 2018

As stated previously, Quaid’s superb intervention got plenty of applause and after keeping his side in the game, it proved to be vital.

Ultimately, goals from substitutes Shane Dowling and Pat Ryan carried Limerick into the final against Galway/Clare.

Aside from the thousands of people in attendance at GAA HQ and those watching at home, it appears that Sports Illustrated were also tuning in because they choose Quaid’s superb save as the sporting moment of the weekend.

Here’s how they described his instinctive reactions: “You can’t really call yourself a sports fan if you don’t appreciate this play. Cork faced Limerick in the All-Ireland hurling semi-final on Sunday and the game was tied halfway through added time. That’s when Cork’s Seamus Harnedy found himself in front of the net with a chance to score a potential game-winning goal. He might have been the hero if not for this jaw-dropping effort from Limerick goalie Nickie Quaid.”

They add: “Quaid, while diving to his right, managed to knock the ball out of mid-air before Harnedy could hit it into the net. The drama didn’t end there, though. After both teams traded points in the closing seconds, the game went to extra time. Limerick pulled comfortably ahead in the added period and advanced to its first All-Ireland final in 11 years.”

If Nickie Quaid is ever walking down the streets of New York/California/Chicago etc and gets stopped, now he knows why.

The very definition of the term ‘loverly hurling.’

Superb stuff.