The Official Limerick v Waterford SHC Build-up Thread

June 14th is drawing close and it’s probably a good time to stir up a bit of interest and debate on this match. I’d be particularly interested in a Waterford perspective and opinion on the match. From a Limerick perspective:

The league campaign was encouraging. Whilst we didn’t create any great waves we did plough along nicely just under the radar. From seven games, three wins were garnered (against Clare, Dublin and Waterford). Kilkenny were hurled to within an inch of their lives in Nowlan Park (just a point separated the teams at the final whistle), while the biggest defeat the lads received was a 6 point deficit in a meaningless final group game match in Thurles against Tipp.

Quite a few unfamiliar names (outside of Limerick at least) look set to play a part in Championship hurling this summer. These would mainly include Stephen Walsh, Paul Browne, Gavin O’Mahony, James Ryan and David Breen.

It remains unclear what roles Mark Foley and Ollie Moran will have this summer. Both have seen very little hurling so far this year and both legends are in the twilight of their illustrious careers.

At this early stage i’d suggest the championship 15 could look something like this:
Murray
Reale
Lucey
Walsh
O’Riordan
Geary
O’Mahony
O’Grady
Hickey
J Ryan
O Moran
N Moran
P Tobin
Breen
O’Shaughnessy

The main concern over this team heading into the summer would be the lack of scoring power in the forwards (as usual) and the below-par recent performances of key man Andrew O’Shaughnessy. I’ll be heading to Thurles on June 14th, but it’ll be in hope rather than expectation.

on the couple of occasions I have seen Breen hurl he looks like a poor man’s Brian Begley…What club is he from?..

Disappointed with Wayne Mac, thought that Justin was just the man to get a bit of hurling into him, presume it just isn’t there to be found…

[quote=“The Puke”]on the couple of occasions I have seen Breen hurl he looks like a poor man’s Brian Begley…What club is he from?..

Disappointed with Wayne Mac, thought that Justin was just the man to get a bit of hurling into him, presume it just isn’t there to be found…[/quote]

Breen would have way more speed and hurling but Begley would have been more of a nuisance and would have had better hands. Theres a feeling in Limerick that Breen may lack the aggression and ruthlessness for full forward. I’m not convinced myself but management seem to have spotted something in him and are persevering thus far.

Wayne Mac is still on the panel as far as i’m aware. Unfortunately he may never make it at inter-county and may be just another outstanding club player. He has many admirable qualities but his first touch, striking and decision-making aren’t up to inter-county standard right now.

He is just a brute in my opinion…Grand at club level were strength will make up for other areas where ability is lacking but at intercounty level it is shown up big time…Most of the time I have seen him hurl for LIT he has looked nothing more than average…

Is Paudie O Brien from kilmallock on the panel, he has a touch of class about him…

[quote=“The Puke”]

Is Paudie O Brien from kilmallock on the panel, he has a touch of class about him…[/quote]

I agree about Paudie O’Brien. He’s wiry, fast, skilfull and has a great engine. A fantastic prospect. I believe he was training with the seniors, played a few challenge matches this year etc. He didn’t participate in any league games though so maybe they don’t think he’s ready just yet. He played intermediate last year and was a minor not very long ago.

What are your own thoughts Puke about who’ll win this epic tussle on June 14th?

I would never write this Waterford team off for the simple fact that they have 5 top class hurlers in Mullane, Kelly, McGrath, Browne and Brick, and if they play well then they won’t be far off beating most teams, they seem to havd blooded a few lads this year as well…full back line again this year will be their undoing…Heard from a few that Shaughs is struggling for form big time, limerick need him on form…

At this moment in time I would be fancying a Watrford v Tipp munster final but there is a long way to go and things can change

[quote=“The Puke”]

At this moment in time I would be fancying a Watrford v Tipp munster final but there is a long way to go and things can change[/quote]

Are Clare going anywhere?

Time will tell…A lot of the senior lads, Gilli, Griffin, Carmody, Diarmuid and Brian O Connell are struggling for form big time…

Problem now is that Mike Mac is under pressure to get a result against tipp to save his job meaning that he will go with the tried and trusted and hope that it happens for them on the day, if he wasn’t under pressure he could drop 2 or 3 of them and throw in a few of the younger lads and see how they go, it is a catch 22 situation really…

I’d say Limerick will win as Shiner Ahern is taking on Trevor Brennan, Jonny Magee and Quinten Hann in a Royal Rumble style boxing bout the night beforehand and Davy Fitzgerald has arranged a bonding trip for the Waterford squad to go along to support him. Cian Foley will be refereeing.

They won’t be worth a fuck the next day. Still expect them to perform better than against Clare and Kilkenny last year though.

I hope Olly moran is fit to face Waterford ,for leadership alone hes worth his place . Nialls going great guns at the moment , but that could dry up too . James o brien is surely worth another look at , might feel he has something to prove after last year .
At least theres no reports of :slight_smile: in the camp .

Limerick will win this one pulling up. Waterford are finished, they are like Newcastle United post Keegan. All the money’s been spent, Philippe Albert has fcuked off and Faustino Asprilla has pulled a gun in a nightclub again. Davide Ginola is washed up and only good for doing Pantene ads and has fcuked off to Spurs where he can wear his gloves and long sleeves to his hearts contend. Goodnight and good luck. See ye in 50 years.

:slight_smile:

I’ll have to admit I haven’t seen as much of the hurlers so far this year as I would have liked but what I have seen has been encouraging enough. Niall Moran is hurling well, but he is liable to play shit come championship. We badly need Ollie in there too, for his experience alone and no matter how bad a game he plays he’s always worth a score or two. He played a friendly last week so hopefully he’ll be ok. I saw Mike Fitz recently and he looked big, very big. I reckon June 14th might come a bit soon for him, that said he came off the bench in that same friendly and knocked over 3 points.

Not sure what the story is with Foley. He had an extended break over the winter and that might be just what is required, I thought he looked a little flat last year and feared the legs might be gone. Things should probably start to take shape with a final team selection over the next few weeks. We’ve finally got a serious man at the helm so we’ll have to put our faith in him and trust him to half the best 15 available primed and ready to go come June 14th.

Limerick by 2.

Quite a coherent post for 5am SS.
In case anyone hasn’t heard it, here’s Tom Ryan badly rattling rugby.
[media=youtube]98MAsjc2PR8&feature=related

Anyone know when tickets go on sale for this game?

Tom Ryan is an absolute clown and a mouthpiece of the highest order

Bit of a chip on the auld shoulder there Tom! FFS get hurling in order and let the rugby look after themselves instead of looking over your shoulder at them, Tom.

It would set Limerick back a considerable few notches were they to lose this after having making some decent progress recently. That said it would be just like them to lose it as well so wouldn’t be surprised whichever way the result went. I’ll go with Limerick though in the hope that they are on the way up meeting a team most definitely on the way down.

Apart from Tipp there is nothing too serious for the likes of Limerick to worry about in Munster. A win over this Waterford team should be the minimum target this year and is something id expect.
A decent showing against Tipp in the final would be positive and after that its the luck of the draw in terms of the AI campaign.
How they will turn up under Justin will be interesting for sure and anyones guess at this stage but id expect as a minimum a competitive hard working team with all the stupid mistakes cut out.
In reality an AI semi would be a good year but putting those Waterford cunts back on their holes would be a great start to the summer.

Low key enough down Dise way this year. The league was a mixed bag. But I will say the team are in better physical shape than they ever have been this year. They have put in a ferocious amount of work.

The players have been back with the clubs for the last 3 weeks for 3 orundsof the senior championship, and some players are showing great form. Richie Foley has been brilliant for Abbeyside, Tony Browne and Eoin McGrat have been very good for Mt.Sion. This weekend John Mullane picked off an impressive 1-6 from play, Shane Sullivan has been playing very well for Ballygunner as well.

Teh league has thrown up a few good new players who didn’t feature last year. Gary Hurney has been consistently scoring goals, but has a tendency to drift in and outof games, but he does offer something different at full forward. Richie Foley looks liek fulfilling his promise and given a run in the team could be excellent. Noel Connors, co minor last year and DLS college captain, has played every league match and played very well, he has marked Paul Kelly, O’Shaughnessy and Richi hogan and hasnt really given any of them a sniff of it.

There are still a few positions open for debate. Brian Phelan didnt get a run in the later part of the league and that is a disapointment given his great form at centrefield in the club shmpionship. Ken McGrath, when he was fit didnt really click at 11 but Brick is playing so well at 6 he will probably stay there.

I will give two possiebl 15’s for the 14th and i wouldnt be surpised if either started, but the first more likely

Hennessy
Murphy Kearney Connors
Moran Brick Foley
Nagle Sullivan
Pendergast McGrath Molumphy
Mullane Kelly McGrath

Power
Murphy Pendergast Kearney
Browne McGrath Foley
Phelan Brick
Molumphy Pendergast Nagle
Mullane Hurney Kelly

Neither of those teams include Dan Shanahan, who looks likely to be an impact sun this year. Plenty of dept there.

Would be very disapointed if we do not beat Limerick. Expect to face Tipp in a munster final.

That wont be long about changing if ye beat Limerick,those leatherums in WLR will be cranking dont stop believin every 5 minutes or so on the radio and the city council will dust off the 10000 flags and posters they put up around Ferrybank last Year and give a delegation of thier energetic workers somethin to do for a Week,lads will be walking down Jones Road and Clonliffe Ave with tears in thier eyes before the game dreaming of victory…convinced its going to happen…almost sure of it…ye wouldnt bate much.

The humility from our neighbours to the north is a joy.