Limerick GAA - it's Box Office - Always Has Been, Always Will Be

Lads need to relax. The most positive thing about today was gillane had a great game where’s Flanagan struggled. That’ll happen in the forwards but now we don’t rely on one lad to play great every day. We’ve a lovely balance and a spread of scores. The work ethic was really really good too. I’m not sure where all this talk about Casey at 3 is coming from but it’s a bit nuts.

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That’s what i’d like to see on form — realistically Peter Casey might be the only NaP player to get near the team until game 3/4 of Munster.

Mike Casey is a much better option than Hickey but as mentioned previously it’s hard to see too many of the NaP lads starting come the Tipp game.

Based on what?

How well did Malachy play really today, his two early scores were quite lucky in that the ball just fell to him on both occasions, missed a few scorable shots as well while shooting off balance, he is a fantastic striker of the line ball but I’d hold back on giving him Paul Brownes spot just yet. I’d have Richie Mc at full back and play Hickey at wing back.
Downes will be very close to the team and Dowling might well challenge as well.
Cian Lynch is a joy to watch sometimes.

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Galvin and Browne just seemed to let Lynch and Kelly pull the strings in the second half.

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It would be Darragh O’Donovan in midfield for me.

Will O’Donoghue deserves a look as well but I think Browne has enough credit in the bank, Lynch is nailed on

You take Kelly and to a lesser extent Duggan out of the Clare side and they are poor. Limerick made a hero out of Duggan leaving Dan Morrissey on him. At least when they switched Byrnes on him late second half he was not fielding next to near the amount of ball as he was let by Morrissey.

I think Brownes credit is running out rapid.

Jesus some lads are being a bit harsh here I reckon.

Forget the result. The spirit they’ve shown in consecutive weekends is the most pleasing aspect. 9 points down last Sunday. 9 points down today. Refused to accept they were beat. Really positive thing to have going forward.

Can’t understand the slating Hickey is getting here. He wasn’t brilliant but wasn’t terrible either. He rubs folk up the wrong way over the GPA stuff but thought he was ok overall today.

We’re creating a fair amount of chances now in games. Still hit a crazy amount of wides but would be worse if we weren’t creating them. Our best forward P Casey still has to return to the fold.

The clutch moments the players stood up. Malachy nailing the sideline, Byrnes burying the free, Cian Lynch making a terrific catch to win the levelling free at the death. It’s a league game in March but a nice inner boost to show guts when all looked lost - on three separate occasions.

The feeling has now returned to my fingers but an enjoyable way to spend a Bank Holiday afternoon. Glad to have next weekend off. Tipp will steamroll Dublin so will be nice to get a shot at them pre championship.

Will have to tighten up considerably though. Shouldn’t be conceding over 30 points and a lot of them from frees, even if Duggan is a freakishly good free taker from all distances and angles. Shane O’Donnell is some man to con referees - the ironic thing is he was denied a clear free at the end of the last period of extra time when Clare were a point up. Podge Collins looks done, a shadow of the player he was.

One more thing - can’t understand the criticism of Dan Morrissey. Thought he was really good all the way through. Last week Murphy and Flanagan dug us out of a hole, today other players stepped up. Not relying on any one player. Kiely & Kinnerk have developed a small bit of squad depth.

Wouldn’t have been devastated to lose today but lovely to get through all the same and have more match practice in a fortnight.

Still unbeaten this year. :ronnyroar:

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Excellent synopsis, agree with all of that

Exactly forwards are rarely going to put it together every day but now we’ve four lads in Casey, Flanagan, gillane and murphy that can cause a lot of trouble.

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Malachy is a serious player but would still have serious doubts about whether midfield is his position at senior intercounty level. Took his scores well, the sideline at the end showed serious balls after fucking up one before and his use of the ball is really good. But he gave away a stupid free and got caught in no man’s land once or twice.

Still, a fine player and he proved today that he is a really good option.

Paul Browne is starting to come under pressure a bit to be honest. I can see him losing his spot if his form doesn’t improve soon.

Tom Morrissey is too wasteful on the ball. David Dempsey will take his spot i reckon.

Quaid
Finn
McCarthy
English
Byrnes
Hannon
Hickey
C Lynch
Browne
Hegarty
Dempsey
Hayes
Gillane
Flanagan
P Casey

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Thereally were two really positives aspects about today.
The first was the fact that they never ever gAve up. This is a trait that has been missing since the Clare game of 96.
The second is chances being created. 20 wides today, 10/15 of which were scorable. Some day they’ll click

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I like the way we aren’t fucking it down on top of the forwards either when the chance arises. Gillane thrived off the low, diagonal ball - even if he’ll take it in anyway as he showed with the goal that dragged us back into it when Clare were rampant in the first half of normal time. Pat Ryan nearly repeated his score in Salthill - and should really have tapped it over after getting an inviting delivery into space when he burnt his man for pace. We were quite aimless at times but other times used the ball in intelligently.

For the first time in a while we’ve - potentially - a forward line that can post big tallies without being reliant on just one of them.

All interchangeable but if the likes of Gillane, Flanagan, P Casey, David Dempsey, Barry Murphy can click we’ll trouble most defences.

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That was an epic game of hurling, 100 minutes played and it still couldnt be decided.

Limericks heart over the last two games has been a joy to watch, plenty to improve on but this group have great character along with a trojan work ethic and will give Tipp plenty of it the weekend after next.

4 out of our 6 starting forwards had offdays with their shooting…but we got the goals to keep us in it. Cian Lynch is thriving at midfield, his ability to win dirty ball is outstanding and his vision is excellent.

Gillane his patrickswell clubmate came of age today, brought Limerick back into the game with his goal when we were down by 9 points after 21 mins. Gave out a few flakes as well off the ball, which seemed to lift everyone.

That was Clare’s championship team, they did out hurl Limerick for long spells. Tony Kelly and Peter Duggan were v impressive but their full backline as a unit arent upto it.

Loads to work on from a Limerick perspective but there’s a plan there and the players are buying into it. Another game for this group and the confidence from still being unbeaten is priceless.

Honourable mentions also to Malachy and Pat Simon for their impacts off the bench.

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Another very pleasing display today. We look very fit, well organised and hungry.

Lads are codding themselves though if they think today’s team will run out for championship, there’ll be a lot of changes and even lads that have played well will be dropped. That’s not a bad position to be in either. Some of ye are getting carried away with certain players on the basis of a few league games. There will be at least 5 and probably 7 changes to that team by the time by the time we settle on our strongest 15 in summer. Hegarty and Gillane really impressed today, hegarty has gone from not even being a forward to being our best forward. I thought both Morrissey’s had good games and neither would be the first player dropped for me.

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Fine bit of cut to Malachy.