The Limerick machine just cranked into top gear

When I took my seat in the stand in Nowlan Park yesterday, near the 45-metre line, I found myself beside a nice man from Clara. He was a quiet fella, who said very little, until he felt like making a point or asking a question. When Limerick made their final substitution in the 69th minute, the gentleman asked me who was the Limerick player being introduced. ‘Gearoid Hegarty,’ I said. ‘Jeez,’ he replied with an audible groan.

It was only one word, but the tone, and the manner in which he said it, carried multiple meanings. The Clara man was almost saying, “God, they’re after taking us apart without half their team. What could Limerick do to us if they had everyone out there?”