I didn’t said they had a bad league; I said they didn’t have a particularly good league. Not the same thing at all.
I didn’t think they looked particularly impressive in any of their games really. Not awful or anything, but nothing that should have us that worried. As you say, they didn’t have a lot of the top players but even still.
Limerick’s league wasn’t great either obviously, but despite all the bad press we’ve been getting, I believe we learned a lot from the league too. A lot of younger players were tried- I don’t think all of them will make it in the end; we also seem to have settled on Hannon at centre-back, Hickey at wing-back, Dowling at wing-forward, all of which I think will improve us. Not getting promoted was a blow but after that, it was all about trying players out and I believe we’ll have a different level of performance for Championship. So will Clare probably, but there is absolutely no reason to fear Clare.
They were excellent second half against Kilkenny and Dublin and in the 20 minutes either side of half time against Waterford was as good a spell of hurling that any team played in the league. Only for what can only be described as a bizarre refereeing performance they would have been out of sight before running out of steam.
If Clare don’t put Limerick away in the first half or at least take a 5-6 point lead in with them then Limerick are in business,the longer the game stays close the more likely Limerick are to win it,Clare are under huge pressure to win this game whereas for once Limerick have a free shot at a Munster final place with a young and what should be fearless starting 15.Even when Clare were at their very best and Limerick their very worst in 2013 they couldn’t put the boot on the throat at any stage and bury us,the Kinnerk factor is being forgotten here aswell and much like Davie had a heads up of alot of the Limerick players through LIT the last few years the Ace up the sleeve is now on Limericks side with regards in depth player knowledge.After all is said and done I myself expect Clare to be too good in the forwards for us and win by 3-4pts.
Why would Clare need a 5 or 6 point lead at half time? That doesn’t really stand to reason. Clare will have a number of players who are well suited to coming off the bench especially the likes of Cathal Mc, Ian Galvin and Aaron Cunningham who can all take scores. I’d be more worried about Clare starting poorly than finishing poorly given the options on the bench and that we were sluggish out of the blocks in the league.
Limerick have a chance and as you say there is no pressure on them but you would feel that they will need goals to win this. Whether they are willing to set up to go for them remains to be seen. It is a big ask for two teenagers in Hayes and Casey to hit the ground running first day out especially if Limerick are overdoing it out the field. Given that Bugler and Dillon more than likely won’t start and Clare’s management have put huge emphasis on tackling and workrate I don’t think we will give away as many soft frees as we did under the previous set up and it might be a tougher job for Limerick to keep the scoreboard ticking over, especially if they withdraw men out the field and look to flood the middle third with bodies.
Our bench has good players one would argue as good as any starter. Clare for the first year in a long while have a strong bench @Aristotle@Watchyourtoes
Mate, you’re pointless, there’s lads here who know how to do what you’re attempting. You’re just shit at it, no offence really because you gave it a go.
Fuck this shit… I agree that Clare are further along the road and favs, but this is first day out in Munster, we’ve nothing to fear from these cunts. Lads like @BeTimberin afraid to get the train in case someone says boo to him, that’s what Clare are made of… Cunts like @Kid_Chocolate creeping on a priest in the basement… Go out and give the cunts plenty of timber and they will wilt like @twiceasnice97 when he sees a sheep’s hole… The redneck banjo playing mutants.
I just don’t get why Clare are such massive favourites. They have done nothing since 2013. Granted, a lot of them have won an All-Ireland, but that was 4 years ago and they have systematically failed since.
In terms of hurling ability there’s bugger-all difference between the two teams. I don’t expect that there’ll be much between them come Sunday either.
I’m sorry elvis but they’d a complete maniac over them who destroyed there teams. Limerick don’t have players with the same hurling ability as Galvin, Kelly, McGrath or Conlon not at that stage of development anyway.
That’s the spirit. Limerick have fuck all to fear and I expect Sundays game to be a humdinger with neither team providing evidence of troubling anyone in August.
