Success all about getting back to basics, says Limerick’s Gavin O’Mahony

The system. What was almost a dirty term in hurling circles is now part of the build-up to championship games. Gavin O’Mahony of Limerick accepts that: he’s around long enough to remember the early tactical innovations, writes Michael Moynihan

“When I first came on the panel bringing out the corner-forward was controversial — you were bringing out a player who was a natural corner- forward, bringing him out around the field, and that evolved to starting someone in the corner who was probably suited to playing out the field, and now that’s evolved again to a new level. Every team you play, there’s a totally different approach required. Cork- Tipperary was different to Clare-Waterford — I’m not even going to get into that side of it, but it is different.

“It’s a hot topic but I think teams are starting to realise they can’t just say, ‘we’re going to play a sweeper’.