Updated at 19.00
1. Who’ll play in goals for Limerick?
It seems like this one is a done deal already, with Barry Hennessy set to replace Nickie Quaid between the sticks.
Quaid is out with a collarbone injury, breaking his run of successive championship games since 2011.
Aaron Murphy appeared to be second-choice goalie at the conclusion of the Allianz Hurling League campaign but Hennessy is set to be confirmed as TJ Ryan’s number 1 for the Thurles clash.
Hennessy was a key member of the Kilmallock team that went all the way to an All-Ireland club final in March but is yet to see game time with the Shannonsiders.
Former U21 shotstopper Murphy made one League appearance in 2014 and the same again this year but looks like being edged out by Hennessy.
In front of him, Stephen Walsh is tipped for a recall to Limerick full-back line after missing the 2014 campaign, where he’ll operate alongside full-back Richie McCarthy and Seamus Hickey.
2. Who’ll replace Conor McGrath in the Clare attack?
Clare sources have indicated that McGrath is “99 per cent” certain not to start against Limerick next Sunday.
The Cratloe hitman suffered a hamstring injury in the Banner County’s relegation playoff against Kilkenny in March and has struggled to regain full fitness.
Former U21 star Cathal ‘Tots’ O’Connell replaced McGrath in that Nowlan Park defeat but manager Davy Fitzgerald may be unwilling to gamble with another diminutive forward in what’s expected to be an abrasive showdown.
David Reidy is expected to start in one corner and that leaves the door open for another player to take possession of the number 15 shirt.
Fitzgerald does have a number of attacking options to choose from, with O’Connell, Aaron Cunningham and Bobby Duggan waiting patiently in the wings for their chance to impress.
3. Where will Tony Kelly play?
Fitzgerald could play 2013 Hurler of the Year Kelly anywhere, such is his talent and natural hurling ability.
As the most recent reference point, Kelly flourished in a roving attacking role in the Allianz League relegation play-off defeat to Kilkenny, picking off five points from play in the second half alone at Nowlan Park.
It comes down to a choice between midfield and left-half-forward, as Kelly loves space in which to operate.
Tying him down to a more restricted role at centre forward could lessen the Ballyea dynamo’s impact but the smart money is on a wing-forward slot for Kelly.
Throughout his underage career and into the senior ranks, Clare hurling fans have become accustomed to the sight of Kelly streaking down the left touchline before unleashing trademark scores on the run.
4. Where will Declan Hannon play?
Hannon drifted between centre back and centre forward for Limerick during their Allianz League campaign.
The towering Adare star scored 1-3 from centre forward against Wexford but reverted to centre back for the next outing against Offaly.
Despite a damaging defeat on home soil which scuppered Limerick’s Division 1B promotion hopes, Hannon was retained in defence for the victory over Laois, before moving back to centre forward for the League quarter-final defeat to Dublin at Croke Park.
The indications are Limerick’s 2013 U21 captain will stay in attack for the Clare game.
David Breen’s absence through injury robs Limerick of a proven ball-winner in their half-forward line and manager TJ Ryan will be anxious to load this line with physicality.
Hannon fits the bill, with recent challenge matches providing clear evidence that Gavin O’Mahony will man the centre back position.
5. Who will slot into the Clare midfield for Colm Galvin?
Galvin’s decision to spend the summer months in Boston robs Davy Fitzgerald of one his key men.
Club and intercounty commitments kept Galvin in Ireland in recent years – as he starred on the Clare teams that won three successive All-Ireland U21 titles from 2012-14, while also winning an All-Ireland senior medal in 2013.
But the tireless Clonlara clubman was bitten by the travel bug and decided that the time was right to embark on his travels.
Galvin leaves a massive void and while Tony Kelly could play at midfield, is this a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul in an attacking sense?
Seadna Morey is another player with the energy levels that could compensate for the loss of Galvin and with Patrick Donnellan tipped to forge one half of the centrefield pairing, it’s imperative that Fitzgerald decides on the correct sidekick for his captain.
6. Will Cian Lynch make his senior championship debut?
Cian Lynch is one of our 8 young hurlers to watch in this summer’s championship.
And manager TJ Ryan is surely tempted to chuck the former minor star in at the deep end.
Ryan wasted little time in drafting Lynch into his senior set-up after the Patrickswell man won Munster minor medals in 2013 and 2014.
The blood-line is strong as Lynch is a nephew of former Limerick stars Ciarán and Pa Carey, and a long career in the green shirt lies in store for a player who replaced injured captain Donal O’Grady in the Allianz Hurling League quarter-final defeat against Dublin.
Lynch was first sub in at Croke Park and with David Breen out injured, a slot is up for grabs in the Limerick attack.
With Paul Browne set to switch from midfield to wing-forward, Lynch could edge out Seanie Tobin in the corner.
Why is stamp in inverted commas?
Disgraceful conduct by O’ Driscoll. A fitting end to an underwhelming career.
If your going to troll pls be either:
Funny
Clever
Original
And not just a tool, there’s a good lad.
And there goes someone with a chronic attention seeking disorder, penny for the pity?? Anyone
Not trolling, sweetheart.
For someone who is heralded as one of the best players ever on the international stage, all he has to show for it is one Grand Slam. If he concentrated more on his rugby & less on being the poor mans David Beckham, he might be worthy of the adulation he gets from you sheep.
Still, at least he has the “BOD” brand to concentrate on now. LOL.
Jamie, agreed on BOD being an attention seeker. He was lucky not to get a straight red for that today.
You are actually aware that you need 15 players on a rugby team, it’s not an individual sport.
George Best was crap too I suppose. Never even played in a World Cup !
Exactly, 15 players on a team until one of them gets sin-binned for violent conduct. If BOD kept his head & tried to win the game for his country we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.
Also, you’re surely not saying that it’s been BOD & 14 no-hopers for the past decade? You can extend my earlier comment about an underwhelming career to the rest of the so-called “golden generation”.
BTW, George Best retired at 27 & was seen as a wasted talent. Not the best comparison to make.
Great lad
3 Heineken Cups in 4 years. Hardly underwhelming figures. The man is class and if our country sees another like him in the short years ahead we’ll be extremely lucky.
Underwhelming on the INTERNATIONAL stage Nicky. He left us down today, plain & simple.
We shouldn’t have to rely on a late Scotland try to save us from the wooden spoon.
Don’t where you’re getting ‘Nicky’ from.
Regardless, your comment said ‘underwhelming career’ and I was responding directly to that.
Yes he made a mistake today but that is not the issue I was commenting on.
That should read ‘don’t know where’
I’m genuinely struggling to comprehend how you could possibly call the career one of the greatest players of the professional era as ‘underwhelming’. He’s renowned as being one of the greatest because his career has been the total opposite of that
Jaysus Nikki,
It was obvious I was talking about his international career. It’s not 100% certain he’s going to retire from Leinster yet.
So the issue you were commenting on is the one you’ve decided you want to talk about, not the one I was raising. That’s not the way things work, you should try & stay on topic. :-)
Ciaran,
Whats he got to show for his career in the green shirt? One grand slam.
Underwhelming return for “one of the greatest players of the professional era.”
Give it a rest eh? You said ‘career’. It’s not 100% he’s retired from anywhere!!!
Nikki? If you want personal terms stop hiding behind a pseudo name and be open about who you are. Like I do.
Imagine a footballer did that, absolutely disgraceful, nothing will be said about it though because its a sainted rugby player and we all know they’re paragons of virtue and sportsmanship, not like those horrible football louts
Should have been a straight Red – the intend was there !
10 posts on ODriscolls stamp – wonder how many if it was another player ???