FOUR OF LIMERICK’S brightest young GAA talents face a hectic schedule that could see them all have played at least 10 games in a month by the end of next week.

This week’s Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final results mean UL duo Tom Morrissey and Gearoid Hegarty, along with the Mary Immaculate pair of Richie English and Darragh O’Donovan will be involved in the third-level hurling finals weekend on 26-27 February.

Morrissey, English and O’Donovan are all part of the Limerick senior hurling panel while Hegarty is on the Limerick senior football squad and is also part of the UL team that takes on UCD in tomorrow’s Sigerson Cup semi-final.

Local U21 commitments are also an issue for the players in question.

Limerick Leader journalist Steven Miller highlighted that at the start of this week that Morrissey, English and O’Donovan had played six games in an 18-day period while Hegarty had lined out six times in a 15-day period.

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Since then Morrissey and Hegarty lined out last night for UL in the Fitzgibbon Cup against Cork IT while Doon clubmates English and O’Donovan did have the luxury of being rested for Mary I’s comprehensive quarter-final win over GMIT on Tuesday.

The fixture list below shows that Morrissey could have played 11 games by 28 February, O’Donovan and English may have played 10 while Hegarty will potentially play 12 matches.

Na Piarsaigh players Micheal Casey and David Dempsey have had to juggle their club’s All-Ireland senior run with Fitzgibbon Cup games and U21 action, while Na Piarsaigh’s Peter Casey has a Dr Harty Cup campaign to contend with rather than the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Tom Morrissey

Limerick hurler Tom Morrissey Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Played…

• January 28 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v DIT
• February 2 – Limerick U21HC for Ahane v Kilmallock
• February 4 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v Mary I
• February 9 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v NUI Galway
• February 13 – Allianz Hurling League for Limerick v Wexford
• February 14 – Limerick U21 HC for Ahane v Doon
• February 17 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v Cork IT

Upcoming….

• February 21 – Allianz Hurling League for Limerick v Kerry
• February 23 – Limerick U21 HC for Ahane v Patrickswell
• February 26 – Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final for UL v UCD
• February 27 – Possible Fitzgibbon Cup final

Richie English & Darragh O’Donovan

Limerick hurler Richie English James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Played…

• January 28 – Fitzgibbon Cup for Mary I v NUI Galway
• February 2 – Limerick U21HC for Doon v Patrickswell
• February 4 – Fitzgibbon Cup for Mary I v UL
• February 9 – Fitzgibbon Cup for Mary I v DIT
• February 13 – Allianz Hurling League for Limerick v Wexford
• February 14 – Limerick U21HC for Doon v Ahane

Upcoming…

• February 21 – Allianz Hurling League for Limerick v Kerry
• February 23 – Limerick U21HC for Doon v Kilmallock
• February 26 – Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final for Mary I v LIT
• February 27 – Possible Fitzgibbon Cup final

Limerick hurler Darragh O'Donovan Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Gearoid Hegarty

Played…

• January 28 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v DIT
• January 31 – Football League for Limerick v Tipperary
• February 2 – Sigerson Cup for UL v IT Tralee
• February 4 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v Mary I
• February 7 – Football League for Limerick v Longford
• February 11 – Sigerson Cup for UL v Queens
• February 17 – Fitzgibbon Cup for UL v Cork IT

Upcoming…

• February 19 – Sigerson Cup for UL v UCD
• February 20 – Possible Sigerson Cup final
• February 26 – Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final for UL v UCD
• February 27 – Possible Fitzgibbon Cup final
• February 28 – Allianz Football League for Limerick v Clare

Limerick dual player Gearoid Hegarty James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

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