A PLEASING aspect of Limerick’s capture of the National Hurling League is that it came at no injury cost.
On a notable plus, Darragh O’Donovan returned after a spell on the treatment table in the marvellous win over Cork.
He has suffered his own share of injury burdens in recent seasons, and will be glad to be in serious reckoning for championship selection.
On that issue, boss John Kiely, along with Paul Kinnerk, Alan Cunningham, John Flavin and Liam Cronin, faces a challenge, a welcome one!
Peter Casey also made a welcome appearance on Easter Sunday.
New players are pushing for places, among them League top-scorer Aidan O’Connor, Ethan Hurley, Matthew Fitzgerald, Darragh Langan and Colin Coughlan.
Recent additions such as Adam English and Cathal O’Neill – who has never started a championship fixture – are also in the mix.
Still, it was many of the old reliables that stood tallest in the latest triumph, figures such as Mike Casey, Barry Nash, Seán Finn, Diarmaid Byrnes, William O’Donoghue, Kyle Hayes, Gearóid Hegarty, David Reidy, and most especially Aaron Gillane.
It’s unclear as to the immediate availability of the Morrissey brothers of Dan and Tom.
Goalkepper Nickie Quaid is sure to be irreplaceable again in the coming months, 16 years on from his debut as a midfielder against Galway.
The Effin stalwart has featured in a remarkable 75 Championship fixtures.
In the earlier League defeat of Cork, he succeeded his late dad, Tommy as the most capped player with Limerick.
Quaid senior played with distinction for many years, and was fittingly rewarded with All-Star recognition in Limerick’s National League winning season of 1992.
Long Poc star Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen) and Fionn O’Brien (Bruree) are dependable back-up netminders for Limerick.