IT WAS 20 minutes before throw-in yesterday evening when the Tipperary team assembled near the tunnel on the Ennis Road side of the stadium in Limerick.
They moved into position for the guard of honour to salute the reigning champions, an unusual time of year for that gesture with a May season opener providing the chance to recognise the kings of the December decider.
The last time Limerick had played at this ground was 7 March 2020 against Waterford. Five days later the country went into lockdown and everything changed.
But amidst all the turbulence since, Limerick have strengthened their grip on the national hurling structure. As a result of their collection of trophies last winter, they are the team everyone is eyeing up in 2021.
John Kiely never has any interest in looking back. A long-awaited return to action means there is a new season to target and the Limerick boss watched his team forced to travel in Tipperary’s slipstream as the match progressed.
To dig out a draw after trailing by five points in the final quarter was pleasing.
“The attitude really was the big question today. I think they passed that test, particularly with the final quarter. It’s always difficult to know where you are before coming into these games.
“Maybe coming out of that third quarter we weren’t in the best of shape, we just needed to steady things down and to be fair we didn’t panic. We stayed with what we were meant to do and we didn’t go off script. You keep at it long enough, you’ll get enough out of it.”
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John Kiely with Liam Sheedy after the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Kiely’s own reaction to the grip Tippeary were gaining on the game was telling. The first three substitutes he introduced were Cian Lynch, Peter Casey and Gearoid Hegarty. Two recent Hurler of the Year winners and a highly-regarded forward like Casey who made the biggest impression in slotting a pair of points.
Limerick’s personnel situation was interesting. They only started with two of their All-Ireland final winning attack and Seamus Flanagan did look extremely sharp in his attacking play. Adrian Breen and David Reidy put their hands up notably to merit further starting selections.
A glance at the Mackey Stand indicated the wider options available. Aaron Gillane, Declan Hannon, Mike Casey and Dan Morrissey were a quartet of established figures filling the roles of spectators. Hannon picked up an ankle knock last weekend, Graeme Mulcahy sustained a similar injury on Friday night, but neither are expected to be out for long.
In the rearguard, Limerick shifted Sean Finn and Kyle Hayes in to man the central positions while Richie English was properly back in harness, 15 months after tearing his cruciate.
Limerick defender Kyle Hayes. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
“The boys worked really well,” said Kiely.
“That’s Kyle’s first game now in full at six and he’s going to need a few of those to settle in there. I think particularly the way Tipp played the game, it might have been a real challenge for him to play at six.
“They played the ball down the wings a lot, they didn’t waste any ball. It was a challenge for him to be patient more than anything else.”
Patience is a quality that will be needed in adjusting to the new hurling climate. The sin bin wasn’t a factor in the game but the change to the advantage rule was.
“Did you do a count on the frees?,” asked Kiely.
“It was 21 to 10 so you know who had the most. That goes without saying. Listen, there was a good lot of stoppages, but maybe on the other hand the referees haven’t exactly had a chance to referee a game for the last six or seven months either. I don’t know when Colm (Lyons) last refereed a game so they’ve got to get a chance over the next couple of weeks to get some game time in and get their decision-making up to scratch.
“They’re in the same boat as ourselves, we’re all trying to improve what we’re doing out there and there’s a little bit of getting used to the rule tweaks there, that advantage rule in particular.”
David Reidy’s levelling point preserved Limerick’s unbeaten record. It now stretches to 11 games across league and championship since their 2019 defeat at the hands of Kilkenny.
For Kiely, there is no major momentum behind his team though, everyone is currently starting from scratch.
“Sure five months off after Christmas and the New Year, lockdowns and every sort of thing, we’re all the bottom of the mountain.
“Winning mentality, I hope we won’t lose that. But we’re all at the foothills for the next couple of months, starting at the same position.”
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'The attitude really was the big question today, I think they passed that test' - Limerick start again
IT WAS 20 minutes before throw-in yesterday evening when the Tipperary team assembled near the tunnel on the Ennis Road side of the stadium in Limerick.
They moved into position for the guard of honour to salute the reigning champions, an unusual time of year for that gesture with a May season opener providing the chance to recognise the kings of the December decider.
The last time Limerick had played at this ground was 7 March 2020 against Waterford. Five days later the country went into lockdown and everything changed.
But amidst all the turbulence since, Limerick have strengthened their grip on the national hurling structure. As a result of their collection of trophies last winter, they are the team everyone is eyeing up in 2021.
John Kiely never has any interest in looking back. A long-awaited return to action means there is a new season to target and the Limerick boss watched his team forced to travel in Tipperary’s slipstream as the match progressed.
To dig out a draw after trailing by five points in the final quarter was pleasing.
“The attitude really was the big question today. I think they passed that test, particularly with the final quarter. It’s always difficult to know where you are before coming into these games.
“Maybe coming out of that third quarter we weren’t in the best of shape, we just needed to steady things down and to be fair we didn’t panic. We stayed with what we were meant to do and we didn’t go off script. You keep at it long enough, you’ll get enough out of it.”
Kiely’s own reaction to the grip Tippeary were gaining on the game was telling. The first three substitutes he introduced were Cian Lynch, Peter Casey and Gearoid Hegarty. Two recent Hurler of the Year winners and a highly-regarded forward like Casey who made the biggest impression in slotting a pair of points.
Limerick’s personnel situation was interesting. They only started with two of their All-Ireland final winning attack and Seamus Flanagan did look extremely sharp in his attacking play. Adrian Breen and David Reidy put their hands up notably to merit further starting selections.
A glance at the Mackey Stand indicated the wider options available. Aaron Gillane, Declan Hannon, Mike Casey and Dan Morrissey were a quartet of established figures filling the roles of spectators. Hannon picked up an ankle knock last weekend, Graeme Mulcahy sustained a similar injury on Friday night, but neither are expected to be out for long.
In the rearguard, Limerick shifted Sean Finn and Kyle Hayes in to man the central positions while Richie English was properly back in harness, 15 months after tearing his cruciate.
“The boys worked really well,” said Kiely.
“That’s Kyle’s first game now in full at six and he’s going to need a few of those to settle in there. I think particularly the way Tipp played the game, it might have been a real challenge for him to play at six.
“They played the ball down the wings a lot, they didn’t waste any ball. It was a challenge for him to be patient more than anything else.”
Patience is a quality that will be needed in adjusting to the new hurling climate. The sin bin wasn’t a factor in the game but the change to the advantage rule was.
“Did you do a count on the frees?,” asked Kiely.
“It was 21 to 10 so you know who had the most. That goes without saying. Listen, there was a good lot of stoppages, but maybe on the other hand the referees haven’t exactly had a chance to referee a game for the last six or seven months either. I don’t know when Colm (Lyons) last refereed a game so they’ve got to get a chance over the next couple of weeks to get some game time in and get their decision-making up to scratch.
“They’re in the same boat as ourselves, we’re all trying to improve what we’re doing out there and there’s a little bit of getting used to the rule tweaks there, that advantage rule in particular.”
David Reidy’s levelling point preserved Limerick’s unbeaten record. It now stretches to 11 games across league and championship since their 2019 defeat at the hands of Kilkenny.
For Kiely, there is no major momentum behind his team though, everyone is currently starting from scratch.
“Sure five months off after Christmas and the New Year, lockdowns and every sort of thing, we’re all the bottom of the mountain.
“Winning mentality, I hope we won’t lose that. But we’re all at the foothills for the next couple of months, starting at the same position.”
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Gaelic Grounds Hurling League Limerick New Season Tipperary