John Kiely has been given a two-year extension as manager of the Limerick senior hurling team.

Ten years ago the Late Late Show did a special edition marking 125 years of the GAA. It was presented by Pat Kenny. The expectations of most GAA folk were not high beforehand. The expectations were justified.

A baptism of fire is de rigueur in becoming the GAA’s national match officials manager. Nine years ago, Pat Doherty stepped into the role the day after Martin Sludden awarded Joe Sheridan that goal in the Leinster final.

The first time I saw Peter Casey during my time with the Limerick Academy, and as Limerick minor coach in 2015, I felt he’d be more suited to being a jockey in the Irish Derby than a hurler lighting up Croke Park.

Not to put too fine a point on it but Kilkenny won the All-Ireland quarter-final largely because they were playing — and were allowed to play by and play through — Cork. Not to put too fine a point on it but they’re unlikely to win the All-Ireland semi-final largely because they’ll be playing — and will not be allowed to play by and play through — Limerick.

Limerick’s emotional All-Ireland final win last year was commemorated in a terrific publication — the book

Fair play, and then some, to Wexford.

Form is clearly temporary in hurling. If the bookmakers are to believed, the 100% 2019 Munster SHC record Tipperary bring to Limerick on Sunday is of no consequence and will be broken.

Watching both teams warming up, I zeroed in on the goalkeepers.

Paul Kinnerk’s mind will be on other matters on Sunday in Thurles but this week saw the publication of a Gaelic football research paper the Limerick senior hurling coach and selector co-authored in the International Sport Coaching Journal.

After the same county lifted the MacCarthy Cup on seven occasions in the noughties, the decade that followed was always going to be more democratic.

This past year I’ve gone back to college to study sports science and yesterday morning I had to hand in an assignment.

Limerick manager John Kiely finally got to see Aaron Gillane’s instinctive Allianz Hurling League final goal last Sunday evening.

To give an idea of just how glaring Clare’s concession of 15 pointed frees (24 in total) was on Saturday night, it’s one less than the placed balls that have been scored against Limerick across the first three rounds.

Just shy of 20 minutes in Seamus Flanagan’s company is enough to understand the flame still burns in Limerick. The bonfires that heralded last August’s All-Ireland triumph have long since been extinguished but within these young men there remains a fury.

Two All-Ireland titles with different counties inside six seasons have made Paul Kinnerk hot property on the inter-county scene, but the Limerick coach has no desire to make the leap into management.

Davy Fitzgerald has revealed how close he came to walking away from Wexford, and from hurling, before a crosscountry trip by some of the county’s players persuaded him to sign up for a third season in the southeast.

"You talk about complacency" — Tommy Walsh

"You talk about complacency" — Tommy Walsh

When Limerick trailed Cork by six points with almost as many minutes of normal time to go in the All-Ireland semi-final, John Kiely would have been forgiven if he started to think like most Limerick supporters undoubtedly and understandably were at the time.

It was one of the stranger introductions to a post-game press conference.

After all the new money and massive entertainment on show this spring, the final now is an old-money showdown between Kilkenny and Tipp, writes Anthony Daly

Clare have only won one game in Munster since 2008. It hasn’t been good enough, writes Anthony Daly.

Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final against Limerick is the game Clare have “targeted all year”, says Banner co-manager Gerry O’Connor.

Jamie Wall tried wheelchair tennis. He tried wheelchair basketball. He even tried a bit of writing. None were for him. None filled the void.

Limerick hurling coach Paul Kinnerk fears the dual player will become an extinct species at inter-county level unless alterations are made to the fixtures programme.

All over the country teams are back training, aspiring and vowing to “work hard” every night.

Wexford have gambled by hiring Davy Fitzgerald, writes PM O’Sullivan.

Clare County Board were last night in talks with Davy Fitzgerald as he prepared to step down as manager after five years. It is understood a number of phone-calls took place between chairman Joe Cooney and Fitzgerald, who is currently holidaying in South Carolina.

Tony Kelly has resigned himself to the likelihood of not playing a competitive game for Clare until the Munster championship showdown with Waterford.

Clare fear Pat Donnellan may have suffered a season-ending cruciate tear following a challenge game last weekend.

Hurling’s managerial carousel had already picked up considerable pace by the time Kilkenny returned up the steps of the Hogan Stand in early September, several high-profile figures opting off the merry-go-round.

Anthony Daly is in the shake-up to be appointed the next Limerick minor hurling manager after the surprising decision by Leo O’Connor to step down after one year in charge.

Clare GAA chiefs don’t yet know if the highly regarded Paul Kinnerk will return to his coaching role with the county’s senior hurlers.

Limerick football is not in a state of crisis, board chairman John Cregan has said in the wake of the county’s 10th consecutive Munster minor championship defeat.

Limerick chairman Oliver Mann hopes ‘a sense of unity’ in the county will be the cornerstone for success in 2015.