JOHN Kiely will embark on his eighth season at the helm of All-Ireland Senior Hurling champions Limerick in 2024.
His latest odyssey will begin with participation in January’s Munster Senior Hurling League.
Limerick, Clare, and Cork are pitted in Group A, with the top side to qualify for the final on January 21.
In Group B are Kerry, Waterford, and Tipperary, with again just the winners coming through.
It’s most likely that Kiely will use this pre-season competition as an opportunity to rest his lead performers and instead afford opportunities to fringe players, and others who have been called into the extended squad – such as county Under-20 star Patrick O’Donovan (Effin) who scored a brilliant 1-16 for Coshlea Gaels in their recent County Final win over Murroe/Boher – on the back of some impressive displays across various county championships.
Limerick were most recent winners of this league two years ago, courtesy of a 0-27 to 0-18 away win over Clare.
On that occasion, the Shannonsiders lined-out: David McCarthy; Barry Nash (captain), Dan Morrissey, Richie English; Colin Coughlan, Ronan Connolly, Paddy O’Loughlin; Brian O’Grady, Will O’Donoghue; Cathal O’Neill, David Reidy, Gearóid Hegarty; Oisín O’Reilly, Pat Ryan, Darren O’Connell. Subsitutes used: Adam English, Rory Duff, Conor Boylan.
With a dozen points, Reidy was the final’s top-scorer.
Limerick were also competition winners in 2018 and 2020.
Limerick (2020): Barry Hennessey; Tom Condon, Richie English, Aaron Costello; Diarmaid Byrnes, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Robbie Hanley, Cian Lynch (captain); Darragh O’Donovan, Tom Morrissey, David Dempsey; Graeme Mulcahy, David Reidy, Aaron Gillane. Substitutes used: Seán Finn, Gearóid Hegarty, Mark Quinlan, Brian O’Grady and Jerome Boylan.
Limerick (2018): Nickie Quaid; Tom Condon, Séamus Hickey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Dan Morrissey, William O’Meara; Paul Browne (captain), Cian Lynch; Tom Morrissey, Darragh O’Donovan, Barry O’Connell; Aaron Gillane, Séamus Flanagan, Gearóid Hegarty. Substitutes used: Barry Murphy, David Reidy, Andrew La Touche Cosgrave.
