‘We want to get a settled team’

THE biggest attendance of the 2009 National Hurling League is expected in Pairc Ui Chaoimh this Sunday (2.30pm) for the ‘homecoming of Cork’s 2008 hurlers’.
Setanta Sports are to televise the round five game live as Justin McCarthy takes his Limerick hurlers to his native city. As is now the norm the Limerick team won’t be released until later this week. However there have been some changes to the extended squad which McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey have in training at present in Martinstown.
Leader Sport understands that Murroe-Boher’s Kevin Tobin and Kilmallock pair Paudi O’Brien and Eoin Ryan are no longer part of the plans while Garryspillane’s James Ryan is now officially part of the squad. Ollie Moran and Mike Fitzgerald are due to join up with the squad next week.
Tobin and O’Brien both saw action in league games to date with Tobin surprisingly tried in defence.
“The door remains open to everyone until the end of the league and then we will look at things in terms of the championship,” Justin McCarthy told Limerick Sport this Wednesday.


“We want to get a settled team and a settled squad and I think we are close to establishing that. Every player is given a chance and we keep about 30 at training with players coming in and out and we are casting the net a bit further all the time.”
McCarthy said that Sunday’s game will bring a new challenge.
“Cork will have a big home following because of recent events and that is something that we have to face - there could be 10,000 in Cork and the players need that; it will give them big game experience and some added pressure,” McCarthy added.
A win for Limerick on Sunday could propel them into contention for a league final place while defeat could have supporters looking over their shoulder at the league table in terms of relegation.
“The league is competitive for everyone and we have two wins and two losses and we could have had four wins - last weekend things just went away from us in Galway in the end. Naturally we would have liked to have won all four games, but we have to give players a chance while also trying to win games.
“It is a two-way thing.”
McCarthy added: “A lot of these players would not have tasted inter-county or league action before”.
After this weekend Limerick face a championship dress rehearsal on April 5 against Waterford in the Gaelic Grounds.
Before that McCarthy is looking forward to the change in time.
“I always think that there is a difference when the clocks change.
“We will be able to up our outdoor sessions. That said, I must say how pleased we have been with the facilities in Martinstown, with the pitch and the lights.”
Bryan O’Sullivan and Tom Condon were absent for the Galway game last weekend and could be back in contention for Limerick, who had Donncha Sheehan and Denis Moloney among the subs last Sunday for the first time.
Cork managed by interim boss John Considine will be without Niall McCarthy who was red carded in their win over Clare. The only ‘regulars’ absent from their line-up in Ennis were Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Brian Murphy, Sean Og O hAilpin, Jerry O’Connor and Joe Deane.

Jerome O’Connell

Limerick fully fit for Galway clash

AFTER a three-week break Justin McCarthy’s Limerick senior hurlers resume National Hurling League action when they visit Galway’s Pearse Park this Sunday (2.30pm).
Captain Mark Foley has returned to training, but is not expected to start on Sunday. All squad members are reported fit, except Ollie Moran and Mike Fitzgerald, who are training on their own at present and are to join the squad at a later date.
With Tipperary remaining the only undefeated side in Division One all remains very congested.
The next two rounds of fixtures should apply some shape to the league table and determine who could be in the shake up for the top two places and a spot in the league final.
Sunday will offer another opportunity for McCarthy and selectors, Liam Garvey and Brian Ryan, to run the rule over their new-look side which is likely to see a number of new players get match-time in the coming weeks.
Twenty six players have seen league action to date - Doon duo Denis Moloney and Mike Fitzgerald, Adare duo Mark Foley and Donncha Sheehan, Kilmallock duo Eoin Ryan and Philip O’Loughlin, Monaleen’s Damien Cosgrave, Ahane’s Ollie Moran are yet to see competitive action.
While Limerick have had no competitive action since the win over Dublin, the Galway players have had plenty hurling. Two weeks ago they lost to Kilkenny in a game which saw manager John McIntyre come out strongly against his players in post-match interviews. Last weekend the Galway players travelled to Dubai where Connacht lost to Leinster in the Martin Donnelly sponsored interprovincial hurling final.
While the Tribesmen have only a win over a depleted Cork to their credit, the county was boosted on St. Patrick’s day when Portumna (with Limerick native Garrett Heagney at wing-back) won their third All-Ireland club title in four years. Limerick hurling followers will be more than happy if Portumna’s Joe and Ollie Canning and Damien Hayes were to postpone their return to maroon of Galway until after this weekend.
All in Limerick will still remember last year’s league clash in the Gaelic Grounds when Galway eased to a 2-24 to 1-16 win - that was also a game played within a week of Portumna winning an All-Ireland club title and they didn’t feature with the then Ger Loughnane managed side.
Sunday’s trip to Salthill is the first of three week’s of successive NHL action for Limerick.
On March 29, Limerick travel to Pairc Ui Chaoimh to face a rejuvenated Cork in their first home game since the resignation of Gerald McCarthy and then on April 5, Waterford will visit the Gaelic Grounds in a championship dress rehearsal.

Jerome O'Connell

Geary back in contention for a battle with undefeated Dublin side

BRIAN Geary could be in contention for his first National Hurling League start of the season this Sunday.
The Monaleen centre-back in back in the plans of Justin McCarthy after he missed the opening games in Division One against Clare and Kilkenny due to his honeymoon.
This Sunday (2.30) Limerick welcome surprise table-toppers Dublin to the Gaelic Grounds.
The Dubs are flying under new manager Anthony Daly, with wins over Cork and Galway to date. The men from The Capital will be looking for a repeat of their 2007 NHL win when they shocked Richie Bennis’ Limerick - 0-22 to 1-15.
On that occasion in the Gaelic Grounds Maurice O’Brien lined out for Limerick. This Sunday, the Garryspillane man will be part of the Dublin squad - a resident of Dublin for two years, O’Brien transferred to the Faughs GAA club this January.
Ahead of Sunday’s round three clash Limerick manager McCarthy (pictured right) and selectors’ Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey must keep their fingers crossed that a number of key players come through the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup this Wednesday.

The big game of the Third Level Colleges hurling championship takes place in Limerick, with Limerick IT facing champions Waterford IT.
The Davy Fitzgerald managed LIT are likely to include Limerick newcomers; Gavin O’Mahony and Paudie O’Brien in their line-up along with Wayne McNamara.
Others locals that could be in the Moylish College’s team will be Kieran O’Rourke, Shane Mulally, Sean Tobin and Kevin Ryan. Champions WIT have Limerick men Richie McCarthy and James Ryan in their team.
Elsewhere in the Fitzgibbon Cup Seamus Hickey will play with UL against St. Patrick’s in Newtwownshandrum.
UCC play NUI Galway in Dalgan and the Cork side could have Graeme Mulcahy, Don Hanley, Bryan O’Sullivan and Michael Wilkinson in their starting team.
Meanwhile the St. Patrick’s intermediate football side play Sneem of Kerry this Saturday in round one of their Celebrity Bainisteoir tournament.
The opening round tie of the tournament takes place in Rhebogue at 1.00pm.
RTE television star Emma O’Driscoll will lead the Limerick city club into battle against a Kerry side that is managed by the TV presenter John McGuire.

Jerome O'Connell