The Hurling Thread

[iluvhurling]

When I say old guard I suppose I really mean some of Kielys lieutenants that have driven Limerick to so much glory over the past 6 years.
I thought Cian Lynch, Will O Donaghue and Tom Morrisey were a bit off it this year, but I suppose the main 2 I was thinking of were Declan Hannon and Diarmuid Byrnes. Cork really targeted the pair of them this year, we went after them and made hay as a result. Just wonder will Kiely back the both of them to return to form or will he move Kyle Hayes or Will O Donaghue in center back and rebuild that half backline.
Personally reckon he'll partner O Neill with O Donavan in midfield, move O Donaghue center back with Hayes on one side and the Byrnes to fight it out for his spot on the other. Think he'll have to drop Hannon.

Plenty left in Byrnes, Lynch and Morrissey. But you're spot on about Hannon. He won't be seen in a Limerick geansaí again. No major problem for Limerick here as Hayes will move seamlessly into the 6 spot.
Outside of Hannon I can't see too many departures. Not sure if Quaid will go again?
Mulcahy is gone but that's no surprise. He's had an outstanding career so leaves with no regrets.
Limerick massive favourites to land next year's AI imo.

 

[North Cork]

John Kiely staying on is a risky strategy for Limerick and for John Kiely.
These Limerick players have been around for several years , they are not the long term future for Limerick hurling even thoughThey may well win the All Ireland title in 2025 yhen again they nay not. The manager may feel a loyalty to these players and understandably so but that could interfere with the development of younger players.
However if you were to read back on this forum in the early months of this year and in the media there was no county going to get close to them this year.

Sport moves on quickly, Limerick need to be careful they don't follow the same path as Tipperary where great players were kept too long to the detriment of young talent coming through.

Is John Kiely staying to get another title for this group or is he prepared to stay around to build another team, another team that based on under age in recent years may not have the same level of talent as the minor, under 21 team he managed.

It is a big decision for him and the county.

 

[North Cork]

Plenty left in Byrnes, Lynch and Morrissey. But you're spot on about Hannon. He won't be seen in a Limerick geansaí again. No major problem for Limerick here as Hayes will move seamlessly into the 6 spot.
Outside of Hannon I can't see too many departures. Not sure if Quaid will go again?
Mulcahy is gone but that's no surprise. He's had an outstanding career so leaves with no regrets.
Limerick massive favourites to land next year's AI

Limerick were even more massive favourites to win in 2024.

 

[Coogee]

When I say old guard I suppose I really mean some of Kielys lieutenants that have driven Limerick to so much glory over the past 6 years.
I thought Cian Lynch, Will O Donaghue and Tom Morrisey were a bit off it this year, but I suppose the main 2 I was thinking of were Declan Hannon and Diarmuid Byrnes. Cork really targeted the pair of them this year, we went after them and made hay as a result. Just wonder will Kiely back the both of them to return to form or will he move Kyle Hayes or Will O Donaghue in center back and rebuild that half backline.
Personally reckon he'll partner O Neill with O Donavan in midfield, move O Donaghue center back with Hayes on one side and the Byrnes to fight it out for his spot on the other. Think he'll have to drop Hannon.

A quick check shows that this time next year Quaid, Byrnes, Hannon, Dan Morrisey, O Donoghue, o Donovan, Reidy & Hegarty will be 30 or over.

Id like to see the likes of Coughlan, Adam English and Shane o Brien nail down starting spots and push some of those guys above onto the bench.

 

[North Cork]

A quick check shows that this time next year Quaid, Byrnes, Hannon, Dan Morrisey, O Donoghue, o Donovan, Reidy & Hegarty will be 30 or over.

Id like to see the likes of Coughlan, Adam English and Shane o Brien nail down starting spots and push some of those guys above onto the bench.

Agreed.
I think O Connor might also be in the mix for a starting place. I think Coughlan may be caught for a yard of pace tbh.
In addition to the players you named you have most of the rest of the established team now in their late twenties.
Players in the 21 to 24 age bracket need to start getting experience or their careers could pass them by as we have seen in Tipperary.

 

[Coogee]

Agreed.
I think O Connor might also be in the mix for a starting place. I think Coughlan may be caught for a yard of pace tbh.
In addition to the players you named you have most of the rest of the established team now in their late twenties.
Players in the 21 to 24 age bracket need to start getting experience or their careers could pass them by as we have seen in Tipperary.

As you pointed out the majority of the under 30's will be in the 28-29 age bracket.

I can only think of O Neill as the only regular who is under 25

Throw in Coughlan, Adam English, O Brien and the 2 o connors on the bench and that's only 6 players under 25 in with a shout of seeing gametime next year.

 

[greengrass]

A quick check shows that this time next year Quaid, Byrnes, Hannon, Dan Morrisey, O Donoghue, o Donovan, Reidy & Hegarty will be 30 or over.

Id like to see the likes of Coughlan, Adam English and Shane o Brien nail down starting spots and push some of those guys above onto the bench.

I think if he had played shane o brien against Cork they'd have 5 in a row now. Cest la vie

 

[AllCork32]

I think if he had played shane o brien against Cork they'd have 5 in a row now. Cest la vie

If me nan had wheels she would’ve been a bike blah blah blah, they were lucky to be within touching distance coming in to the last 10 mins.

 

[greengrass]

If me nan had wheels she would’ve been a bike blah blah blah, they were lucky to be within touching distance coming in to the last 10 mins.

Yeah I know all that.

 

[Twiceasnice97]

I think if he had played shane o brien against Cork they'd have 5 in a row now. Cest la vie

whats the starting forwards v Cork with O Brien in it

Kiely has to make changes to that team but will he make the cuts necessary.
Byrnes and Hannon were in trouble against cork
Moving Hayes to 6 might actually reduce his influence as his biggest asset is that power going forward.
Thats not an option at 6

They have no backs ready to push on. Coughlan is caught for pace badly. Fergal O Connor is very good but hes not getting ahead of finn or casey.

The all ireland in 23 was won because hannon got injured.
Maybe its time for donoghue to go back 6 full time.

The elephant in the room is Cian Lynchs fitness .
Kiely needs to get a grip on him

They have the players to win another few but Kiely has to get English and O Brien into the starting team and that wont be easy especially since O Brien is a brutal shooter.
He murdered conor leen in the munster league back in the spring but hit about 6 wides in the first half