I think the Limerick championship game last year saw us finally settle on close to our best line up. From that team I would say SOD, DC, CJ, DF, TOM, SH and PH were the bedrock of that team and PC, RD, NOL, GM and DD all almost certainties to start in any subsequent games had we qualified. Add in MC and ROF who were injured and you have 14 guys you would almost certainly have started. And that is without mentioning the dozen or so newcomers who broke onto the panel last year and will only get better.
The issue is not individual players, we have them, the issue is our lack of what I would call our team play, that can only be developed over time and many championship games together. Missing out on qualifying from Munster last year cost us big time in developing that team play and cohesion that we still lack.
I’m still very disappointed with last weeks showing but I am keeping that Limerick performance in my head and I’m hoping Pat is doing the same.
The next 4 league games are vital in developing that team play, in developing our thirst for hard work and in trying to settle on our first 15 so players can create the understanding with their team mates around them.
Despite last Sunday I am still reasonably confident we can make a huge impact this year but let’s not throw out match jersies too easily, pick 10 to 12 of the guys I named above every match and let’s develop the younger guys around them in a framework that works
