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Limerick Hurling thread 2023

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Lot of games again last weekend, The Senior A seems to be the top 4 in pole position again for 4 knockout spots with Na Piarsaigh & Kilmallock looking like top 2?
The second senior group looks tight with Monaleen & Mungret next weekend a big game in terms of who'll go up next year & Ballybrown also in mix. Premier Intermediate seems to throw up different form lines every week and hard to make out. Granagh & Croagh continue to set the pace in Intermediate whilst Gearoid Hegartys St Patricks & Cathal O Neills Crecora are starting to go well at the right time in the Junior .

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 04/09/2023 17:21:31    2503046

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On another note - has the practice of taking the McCarthy Cup to the schools in the City and county stopped?

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 201 - 04/09/2023 20:37:47    2503076

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Can anyone confirm if the hurling championship format is changing next year? Will there be a premier junior and junior the same as the football championship

Seanta (Limerick) - Posts: 1 - 05/09/2023 21:23:58    2503218

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I wondered over to Cappamore last night for the Kilmallock v Well game........ as much as I love following Limerick the club games just have that bit extra when you have 2 top teams going at it.
Some of the score taking and skills on show were to behold. my take on it is Patrickswells best 3 hurlers are better than Kilmallocks but Kilmallock are more balanced overall.
Going on what I have seen to date it will be NAP V Kilmallock final should they avoid eachother.
On a side note, the timing of these mid week games are really putting players and team management under huge pressure. i was talking to the father of a player involved last night and his son who works in Cork could not finish until 5 but had to try be in Cappamore for a 6.30pm throw in.
I am all for preading out the games so we can watch as many as possible over the weekend but not at the expense of someone getting into an accident trying to make a game in time.

Ballyknockill (Limerick) - Posts: 23 - 08/09/2023 08:24:24    2503484

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Replying To Ballyknockill:  "I wondered over to Cappamore last night for the Kilmallock v Well game........ as much as I love following Limerick the club games just have that bit extra when you have 2 top teams going at it.
Some of the score taking and skills on show were to behold. my take on it is Patrickswells best 3 hurlers are better than Kilmallocks but Kilmallock are more balanced overall.
Going on what I have seen to date it will be NAP V Kilmallock final should they avoid eachother.
On a side note, the timing of these mid week games are really putting players and team management under huge pressure. i was talking to the father of a player involved last night and his son who works in Cork could not finish until 5 but had to try be in Cappamore for a 6.30pm throw in.
I am all for preading out the games so we can watch as many as possible over the weekend but not at the expense of someone getting into an accident trying to make a game in time."
And why was it played in Cappamore? Bruff would have been more central.

Is anyone in the clubs asking questions about scheduling?

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 201 - 08/09/2023 11:07:02    2503500

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Replying To Seanta:  "Can anyone confirm if the hurling championship format is changing next year? Will there be a premier junior and junior the same as the football championship"
Had heard the top 3 in each of the 4 groups minus the winner and add the relegated team from intermediate would make up the premier junior in 2024 . Hopefully it is the case as there is a gap between the top junior teams and the weaker ones .
On a different note I see there's a Junior C competition as well which would be a better fit for some of the weaker junior b teams . Bit mad senior clubs like Adare's second team playing junior B against a Junior A clubs Junior B team .
In Cork all senior clubs second teams have to play Junior A at minimum

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 08/09/2023 11:38:47    2503506

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Replying To bruffgael:  "And why was it played in Cappamore? Bruff would have been more central.

Is anyone in the clubs asking questions about scheduling?"
It's great that senor games are been played in a variety of grounds like Cappamore , Askeaton etc to promote the game outside of everything been in the Gaelic grounds or Kilmallock but Bruff should feature also .

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 08/09/2023 11:41:19    2503507

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was at the killmallock patrickswell game some great displays on both sides great game of hurling.....cian lynch got a a brilliant goal but all round kilmallock are more even .....in fairness there is some talent coming through as forwards for limerick. to have shane o brien cathal o neill adam english and aidan o connor on the bench is an embarressment of riches to have.

munsterchamps (Limerick) - Posts: 1130 - 08/09/2023 13:19:41    2503523

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Replying To OpenStand:  "It's great that senor games are been played in a variety of grounds like Cappamore , Askeaton etc to promote the game outside of everything been in the Gaelic grounds or Kilmallock but Bruff should feature also ."
I agree better quality games and more fan involvement in the last 2 years with the games at the smaller venues.

updwell (Limerick) - Posts: 847 - 09/09/2023 20:03:57    2503608

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Looks like the same top 4 out of group 1 in senior - Na Piarsaigh, Kilmallock, Patrickswell & Doon but Group 2 still interesting with Mungret V Ballybrown a big one in the next round.
Mungret & Monaleen are the two clubs with playing numbers & Resources to take on the top 4 in the coming years. Ahane & Ballybrown the only others possibly with the numbers / structures to compete .

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 11/09/2023 12:11:15    2503766

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Replying To munsterchamps:  "was at the killmallock patrickswell game some great displays on both sides great game of hurling.....cian lynch got a a brilliant goal but all round kilmallock are more even .....in fairness there is some talent coming through as forwards for limerick. to have shane o brien cathal o neill adam english and aidan o connor on the bench is an embarressment of riches to have."
Shane O brien looks like a monster in the making, seriously gifted young guy.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2085 - 11/09/2023 13:18:29    2503794

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Replying To Bon:  "Shane O brien looks like a monster in the making, seriously gifted young guy."
There's definitely a few very talented guys starting to come through. Fergal and Aidan o Connor quilty English coughlan and o brien would all look to have the ability to break through but it's a tough ask. Ideally you get loads of minutes into them in the league and if you start getting minutes into all in the munster championship. However munster is no picnic and it's a massive step up. Coughlan and cathal o neill both have the size and have both struggled at times with the adjustment into the speed required. Especially playing for a team where everyone is out to hunt you every day.
All definitely have the size required. Some look a little leaden footed in terms of speed. Sometimes that's just finding the right positions for them.

I think If we are to continue on this wonderful run you would hope to see some of these guys taking the physical load.

Sugary_tae (Limerick) - Posts: 70 - 11/09/2023 20:53:50    2503898

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Replying To Sugary_tae:  "There's definitely a few very talented guys starting to come through. Fergal and Aidan o Connor quilty English coughlan and o brien would all look to have the ability to break through but it's a tough ask. Ideally you get loads of minutes into them in the league and if you start getting minutes into all in the munster championship. However munster is no picnic and it's a massive step up. Coughlan and cathal o neill both have the size and have both struggled at times with the adjustment into the speed required. Especially playing for a team where everyone is out to hunt you every day.
All definitely have the size required. Some look a little leaden footed in terms of speed. Sometimes that's just finding the right positions for them.

I think If we are to continue on this wonderful run you would hope to see some of these guys taking the physical load."
It's a tribute to how good the Limerick starting line-up has been since 2018 in that Kiely & Co. have by my reckoning probably not gone over, or much over anyway, the same 20 names. Those fellas perform consistently to the highest level, and it is nigh impossible for newcomers to break into the team: David Reidy is certainly no newcomer but he has managed it, as has Cathal O'Neill at times. With Graeme Mulcahy it is a bit different, and Richie English used to be a first 15 starter before injury hit. Outside of them, it's basically the same 15 names that are penned down, important game after important game.

It is the panels of players that Kiely & Co. have utilised since 2018 that make for interesting reading. When I said to a Bouncer (Garryspillane follower and a mad hurling follower who'd never miss a match at either club or county level) after last year's AI final that the bones of 70 players must have AI medals now under Kiely, he asked me if I was raving. It might not be 70, but the 37-man panel has changed immensely, almost every year, over the 5-6 year period.

Does anyone actually have the names of all the players who have won AI medals with Limerick since 2018?

And more interestingly, how many clubs have been involved? You'll find that the number is misleadingly disguised, as I had to explain to that Bouncer fella, because the starting 15-20 players hasn't changed. And you'll also find that Kiely & Co have put AI medals into so many Limerick parishes where they had never been before; building a hurling legacy, but also safeguarding that legacy by inspiring almost every schoolchild in these parishes to try to replicate their local hero!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2096 - 12/09/2023 03:12:30    2503911

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "It's a tribute to how good the Limerick starting line-up has been since 2018 in that Kiely & Co. have by my reckoning probably not gone over, or much over anyway, the same 20 names. Those fellas perform consistently to the highest level, and it is nigh impossible for newcomers to break into the team: David Reidy is certainly no newcomer but he has managed it, as has Cathal O'Neill at times. With Graeme Mulcahy it is a bit different, and Richie English used to be a first 15 starter before injury hit. Outside of them, it's basically the same 15 names that are penned down, important game after important game.

It is the panels of players that Kiely & Co. have utilised since 2018 that make for interesting reading. When I said to a Bouncer (Garryspillane follower and a mad hurling follower who'd never miss a match at either club or county level) after last year's AI final that the bones of 70 players must have AI medals now under Kiely, he asked me if I was raving. It might not be 70, but the 37-man panel has changed immensely, almost every year, over the 5-6 year period.

Does anyone actually have the names of all the players who have won AI medals with Limerick since 2018?

And more interestingly, how many clubs have been involved? You'll find that the number is misleadingly disguised, as I had to explain to that Bouncer fella, because the starting 15-20 players hasn't changed. And you'll also find that Kiely & Co have put AI medals into so many Limerick parishes where they had never been before; building a hurling legacy, but also safeguarding that legacy by inspiring almost every schoolchild in these parishes to try to replicate their local hero!"
I was chatting to another Limerick man two days ago who said I was crazy to think that almost 70 players have won medals under Kiely's management. So here goes!

Let's start with the 2018 panel of 36 obviously!

1. Declan Hannon (Adare)
2. Dan Morrissey
3. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
4. William O'Meara (Askeaton)
5. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
6. Paul Browne
7. Sean Finn (Bruff)
8. Richie English
9. Barry Murphy
10. Darragh O'Donovan
11. Pat Ryan (Doon)
12. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca)
13. Nicky Quaid (Effin)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Kyle Hayes
16. Barry O'Connell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
17. Barry Hennessy
18. Graeme Mulcahy
19. Paddy O'Loughlin
20. Oisin O'Reilly (Kilmallock)
21. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)
22. Andrew La Touche Cosgrave
23. Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen)
24. Seamus Hickey (Murroe Boher)
25. Mike Casey
26. Peter Casey
27. David Dempsey
28. Shane Dowling
29. Kevin Downes
30. William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
31. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
32. Diarmaid Byrnes
33. Aaron Gillane
34. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
35. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
36. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick's)

In 2020, Conor Boylan, Jerome Boylan, Adrian Breen, Robbie Hanley, Jason Gillane, Josh Considine, Darren O'Connell, Ronan Connolly, Brian Ryan, Mark Quinlan, and Brian O'Grady were all involved and won medals, bringing the count to 47.

In 2021, Colin Coughlan, Cathal O'Neill, and Tom Hayes (Doon) were added to the panel. We are now at 50.

Since then, Jamie Power, Ciaran Barry, Michael Houlihan, Adam English, Dave McCarthy, Rory Duff, Jimmy Quilty, Fergal O'Connor, Alan O'Connor, Shane O'Brien, and Donnacha O'Dalaigh have added medals, bringing our tally to 61.

Now, I may have missed a player or included a player who didn't win a medal. Michael O'Brien of Doon was involved at one stage, but I think that was 2019.

Okay, it is not about 70, but rather 60. However, my point stands that when you factor in that the same 20 players have more or less constantly started since 2018, it can go almost unnoticed that another 40 or so players in the county have also won All-Ireland medals during that period.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2096 - 14/09/2023 13:56:49    2504261

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It's great to see such a spread of clubs represented over the last 5/6 year on the Limerick team. This will inspire generations to come and players from smaller clubs will know that it should no longer be a disadvantage to be playing with a Junior club. What is concerning however is that there seems to be a huge amount of clubs amalgamating at underage level compared to previous generations. Looking at the U17 championship there are alot of amalgamations which suggest lower playing numbers. What are the reasons for this? Lack of volunteers to coach teams up along the age grades, rural depopulation, competition from other sports? I would think going back 20/30 years ago every hurling club were fielding minor teams which no longer seems to be the case.

journeyman (Limerick) - Posts: 141 - 15/09/2023 10:43:35    2504325

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Really goes to show how difficult it is to break into 21/22 players used in a Championship season

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 738 - 15/09/2023 11:06:58    2504329

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I think the management have been fairly decent with bringing players into the mix. Certainly a good few guys got time in the league mixed with enough regulars. Teams are picked on merit We've got a bunch of players who've become all time greats so it's going to be hard to push them out. I think had we won the round robin game v Clare we'd have been far more secure and it's likely we'd have seen more of these guys in game 4 v cork.

I think management have to play a tricky role. There's some players like say hego who weren't firing on full cylinders early on…but management knew they needed matches to get them going. Gearoid really dug it out for us v cork and did well from then on.
Personally I suspect guys like Adam English, Aidan o Connor maybe Shane o brien will really put their hands up to be selected this year. Jimmy quilty too.

Scary prospect for the other countries

Sugary_tae (Limerick) - Posts: 70 - 15/09/2023 12:34:26    2504343

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Replying To journeyman:  "It's great to see such a spread of clubs represented over the last 5/6 year on the Limerick team. This will inspire generations to come and players from smaller clubs will know that it should no longer be a disadvantage to be playing with a Junior club. What is concerning however is that there seems to be a huge amount of clubs amalgamating at underage level compared to previous generations. Looking at the U17 championship there are alot of amalgamations which suggest lower playing numbers. What are the reasons for this? Lack of volunteers to coach teams up along the age grades, rural depopulation, competition from other sports? I would think going back 20/30 years ago every hurling club were fielding minor teams which no longer seems to be the case."
A lot of clubs represented but the core of the team are playing in the Limerick senior club ranks the likes of Byrnes, Lynch, Gillane, Hannon, Hayes, Will O Donoghue, O'Donovan, the two Morisseys.

Na Piarsaigh, Doon, Adare, Patrickswell, Ahane, Kildimo.

A junior hurler would have to stand out a mile like Cathal O'Neill or Gearoid Hegarty to get noticed on the radar but it is that hope that drives the younger generation in small clubs on.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 812 - 15/09/2023 13:44:12    2504359

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Another AI for Limerick albeit in football. In football and in the masters (overage) series, it is still great to see. I think that a few names on the team were guys I saw play for Limerick at senior championship level many years ago now. Perhaps they are different fellas with just the same name.

Either way, it is great to see AI medals enter Limerick; the more, the merrier!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2096 - 16/09/2023 16:09:14    2504442

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Last Round of most Hurling competitions next weekend. Lot of interesting matchs in Senior Grade
NAP v Kilmallock for top spot in Group 1
BBrown v Mungret for top spot in Group 2
Garryspillane V South Liberties relegation decider.

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 19/09/2023 14:24:09    2504825

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