Limerick GAA 2023-2024.... 5 in a row is not here

Itā€™s funny, because it is only two lads. Plus Kingston when he came on I suppose.

Corks second goal was the killer blow right after Flanagan netted. You could feel the heads drop a little bit to goal straight after the puck out gave them the oxygen needed and they stretched it out again before half time. Had Limerick gone in 5 or less behind at half , they may well have seen it out

Agree.

Watching it back whatā€™s clear is they cleaned us out on our puckout too in first half, not just on theirs.

Tom Morrissey or Reidy hardly felt the weight of ball in first 20 minutes. And Cian Lynch and Gearoid not much better. Cork picked up most of the breaks which may have been a sign of their hunger early on. Iā€™d imagine Kinnerk and Kiely have some decisions to make.

The balance of the team doesnā€™t seem quite right and teams will believe we are susceptible to pace in middle 8. Cian and Tom have noticeably lost a yard over the years.

11 of the team didnā€™t really perform. We were cleaned out on puckouts. Cork were demented going into everythingā€¦ And yet Limerick were a whisker from winning.

We were very fortunate to go in only 7/8 down.

Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes missed two very good goal chances. Did Barrett miss one also? Hayes skinned both Nash and FOC on two occasions, he is a serious handful.

And SOD/Collins combo gifted us two goals. First 53 mins of game Cork were by far the better team.

We certainly can play better and will need to. That will give Cork confidence and they certainly wonā€™t fear us going forward. Joyce and Oā€™Flynn will further improve them also.

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We had a complete systems failure and a couple of players not inform.

You can work on the formerā€¦ Tom Morrissey and Byrnes in particular are having bad years, a call will be made on one of them. Cian is below his best and Hannon was left exposed and his old legs felt itā€¦ Oā€™Donovan back really helps the system and his passing makes us a different animal.

Filling Peter Caseyā€™s shoes is the hard one. A huge loss.

Casey is a huge loss alright. He allows more space for Gillane with his clever movement. He is really one of the unsung heros of this Limerick side. With Hegarty and Hayes in the form theyā€™re in it wont take too much with it to drive on again. They were unplayable. But there will probably have to be tough calls to be made. Whilst Limerick had winning line in sight the other night they were probably 3 from 3 in terms of goal chances. 2 of them presented on a platter whilst everything they hit in 2nd half went over the bar. So conversion rate was really high. On the flip side Quaid was really busy and Cork really could have had 5 or 6 goals in the first half alone. They also missed plenty of easy chances of points. Harnedy and Kingston missed 2 real handy ones. Teams have found a way to get at Byrnes and Hannon. Kingston, Barrett, Fitzgibbon all found room down those channels. Harnedy and Hayes wouldnt be renowned speedsters but they were able to open up too. Morrissey would have plugged a few gaps around there previously but he is totally out of form. O Donnoghue was completely annonymous which is a worry. Iā€™d be dropping Diarmuid Byrnes completely, moving Cathal O Neill back to wing back who seemed to be only one with the wheels and recovery speed and bringing in English. Fergal O Connor should hold his own in Finns absence but I imagine teams will go after him as he is not good under the high ball. Dan Morrissey is holding his own but Nash on the other side is out of form too. Youā€™d wonder are a few of them carrying knocks.

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Will Oā€™Donovan make the bench for Waterford at least?

No comment.

Would agree with all of that, think thatā€™s fair.

Personally would make that CON for Byrnes switch too but I donā€™t know if the management will.

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Not a hope.there is no progress being made in his calf injury.

This is true. he let Connolly catch a ball uncontested and he put it over the bar.he is unsure of a high ball that is for sure

Kiely said he was ā€˜very closeā€™ and said expected back very soon (2/3 weeks)

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It was notable how long Byrnes was dwelling on the frees. He looked seriously gassed hitting some of them. Obviously when the radar is off you would be inclined to 2nd guess yourself but I think he was feeling the effects of having to track so many runs and running back towards his own goal all match. In other years heā€™d nonchantly walk up and hit it in a matter of seconds but he must have nearly taken the guts of 45 - 60 seconds on some of them. It has always been a serious weapon in Limericks armoury.

I think Kiely will persist with him but Iā€™ve an inkling a lot of Kinnerk and Kielys exchanges were centred around Byrnes and Hannon. He wont change both but if he were itā€™d most likely be O Neill for Byrnes in a straight swap. Swapping Will O Donnoghue for Hannon who was so effective there in the AI final last year would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. O Neill would also offer something going forward and is a very good out ball. It will be very interesting to see Limericks first 15 against Waterford. I think the hammering of a very poor Tipp team who packed it in may have given Limerick a falsely inflated view of where theyā€™re at but as I said they do have personnel to right the ship. Itā€™ll take 2 or 3 controversial calls though.

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Iā€™d agree that Tipp probably made Limerick better . than they actually are. Thereā€™s also a valid argument there to say that the defeat on Saturday night was a blessing in disguise. The cracks that were papered over after the Clare and Tipp games were exposed on Saturday. Better they happen now than later in the year. Sometimes a kick in the hole is better than a Pat on the back

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I think changing 2 of the half-back line would look panicky and could be more disruptive than necessary. If it was definitely needed, it would have to be done but I thought Hannon hurled very well against Tipp and, on the ball, still offered a bit against Cork.

With DOD already gone, I donā€™t think we can afford to move WOD out of midfield aswell. So CON back to wing-back would be the change Iā€™d make. As much to give Byrnes a kick up the hole as anything, I think weā€™ll probably need him later on in the year, he was similarly poor in the first few matches last year but finally found his rhythm in the last group game.

A lot will depend on how they train and obviously we donā€™t see that. An in-form Byrnes is such an asset but, whatever about the defensive stuff, heā€™s just not getting on the ball enough in general play.

Waterford arguably have more speed merchants than Cork too so Davy will be licking his lips at trying to create the same space & mismatches.

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Quaid
Finn
Morrissey
Nash
O Neill
Hannon
Hayes
Wod
Dod
Tom Morrissey
Cian lunch
Hego
Gillane
Flanagan
Reidy

Is Finn not likely out? Latest update on dod was two to three weeks, optimistic to expect him to start.

Heā€™ll have Waterford for dinner

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Just need to get past Waterford so CON for Byrnes could be a good move for that game. Iā€™d worry about him in the air against Clare with Duggan or Fitzgerald though, but thatā€™s for down the road. Would you chance English at midfield? It would add a lot of pace and release Lynch to 11. If not there he has to come in corner forward.