IN ALL FAIRNESS - Facing down the Limerick challenge

It has been a long time since there has been such dominance in the game of hurling. Unless, you are from Limerick, you must be wondering how they are so far ahead, however, that isn’t their problem as it is up to the rest of the counties to come up with a way of getting to their level and counteracting what has made them so hard to beat.

In some ways they are a lot like the Kilkenny side that won six All-Ireland’s in seven years between 2006 and 2012 (don’t rule out them doing something similar as they have already won four in five years) as their skill level and physicality sets them apart and it doesn’t look like diminishing any time soon. As Liam Sheedy said on his recent Laochra Gael episode when it came to how to take down Kilkenny, you wouldn’t wait for them to fall back to the pack, you had to take on the challenge and get up to their level which they succeeded in spectacularly in 2010.

As well was being incredibly focused, Limerick are so fine-tuned, they can beat you any way, with direct hurling or working the ball through the lines, and Tipperary saw that again on Saturday night when the Shannonsiders were able to change their approach in game successfully.

At the start of the year, I felt the only team that would deny Limerick another All-Ireland title in 2023 would be themselves as they are a stronger side this year with the return of Peter Casey and Cian Lynch from injury, and their bench is much stronger with Adam English, Shane O’Brien, Colin Coughlan, Donnacha O Dalaigh and now Barry Murphy putting real pressure on the established players. When Limerick line out for the first round of the Munster Championship against Waterford next month, there is likely to be no starting place in their defence for Dan Morrissey, Richie English, or Colin Coughlan!

The crucial aspect for all their challengers is not to get spooked by Limerick and thinking they are unbeatable, such as Kilkenny were as they marched to the four-in-a-row. You have to have the belief that one day they will be knocked off their perch and to have the focus and hunger to be the team that does that. Tipperary and Liam Sheedy relished that challenge from 2008 onwards and it might have taken them three years to do it, but it was well worth the effort put in.

Current Tipperary manager Liam Cahill isn’t shy about taking on a challenge he should relish it with his team. Based on this years league, Tipperary will end it second to Limerick in terms of performance, even if Kilkenny have gotten to the final, however, the level of play between the first and second semi-finals last weekend was chalk and cheese and I’d argue Tipp would have comfortably won a semi-final against either Kilkenny or Cork.

The crucial thing for Tipperary now is turn their focus away from getting up to Limerick’s level for the moment, and turn their attention to put themselves in with a chance of challenging the All-Ireland champions come the semi-finals or final at Croke Park in July. To do that they must negotiate the minefield that is the Munster round-robin and getting the points they need to finish in the top three. It’s fair to say that Limerick will take one of those spots but there is a strong argument that any of two of the remaining four can join them in the All-Ireland Series.

Tipperary’s route is arguably the toughest as they start with two away games in Ennis and Cork, before welcoming Limerick and Waterford to Thurles in the space of seven days at the end of May. Tipp have got to get a win from one of their two games on the road. Clare in Cusack Park is a tough ask, despite Tipperary doing so successfully in 2019, but that was an experienced Tipp team compared to now, but being out of the league and having a four week clean run into that game gives them the best chance of getting the result they need.

Of benefit also will be he fact that Tipperary will have a thirteen day run-in to the Cork game where as Cork will have just six days to recover from their clash with Waterford and if they were to lose that, they will come in under massive pressure as they finish with two tough games away to Clare and Limerick.

This Munster Championship will be all about momentum and getting off to a positive start is absolutely crucial in teams initial aim of being in the top three come the end of it when they can then reassess their goals for the remainder of the campaign.