ALLIANZ HL DIVISION 1B FINAL

Clare 3-13 University of Limerick 1-13

Last weekend Limerick senior football boss Maurice Horan set out his stall for 2013, made it known that even this early in the new season he has already more or less decided on who he needs on his panel.

The Waterford Crystal Tournament is meant to be an early-season warm-up competition, an opportunity for teams to shake loose the winter cobwebs.

“A GOOD ould workout,” was the verdict of new Tipperary manager Declan Ryan after yesterday’s one-point loss to WIT in this Waterford Crystal Tournament preliminary-round match, a game that doubled as the 2011 season opener for the All-Ireland champions.

HE WAS a force of nature in his own playing days, combative whether at centre-forward or full-forward, but it’s a gentle introduction to competitive fare tomorrow for new Tipperary senior hurling manager Declan Ryan; the opening round of the Waterford Crystal Tournament against Waterford IT in Clonmel.

ANOTHER loss for Clare in the 2009 Allianz Hurling League and, though their relegation to Division 2 was already decided, this one still hurt, and a decent-sized home crowd trundled away from sunny Cusack Park with spirits low.

WHEN Davy Fitzgerald took over at the managerial helm in the Déise following the controversial sacking of Justin McCarthy, many pundits both within and outside of Waterford feared that the Clare former Allstar goalkeeper might well have accepted a poisoned chalice.

TIPPERARY’S Allianz National Hurling League triumph, won’t count for much against Cork in the Munster championship in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in seven weeks time.

THE Fitzgibbon Cup — boasting a new format — commences tomorrow with four games in Cork, Dublin and Limerick.

The Clare senior hurling manager has played down claims that Davy Fitzgerald's inter-county career is over.

FOUR sides head to Semple Stadium, Thurles tomorrow with differing hopes and ambitions.

TOM KENNY has been in UCC for six years, but he doesn't have a Fitzgibbon Cup medal. Given the Cork students' record in the competition, leading the roll of honour with 39 titles, that's hard to credit.

CHAMPIONS Limerick IT are yet to decide whether Eoin Kelly plays in today’s Datapac Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final against UCC.

THESE are encouraging times for the hurling fans of Limerick.

Limerick senior hurling manager Joe McKenna has axed eight players, including regular forward Pat Tobin, for his initial 31-man panel for next season.