Anthony Daly: Limerick will come to slash and burn but depth gives Clare the edge
After all the talk about Cork and Limerick being hurling’s main rivalry now, it’s been easy to forget that Clare-Limerick is still box-office. Pic: John Sheridan/Sportsfile
Running a pub has always given me a neat insight into the thinking of the public in the week of a big game, especially a local derby between Clare and Limerick. The excitement and anticipation bubbles and simmers but you can also gauge how hot the temperature actually is. And I really felt the heat rising as early as last Monday night.
Maybe that was because Limerick had been beaten the previous day and the people in the bar knew that they’d be without Cian Lynch for the weekend. But I still felt the temperature already heading into the red with the feeling that Clare could really back Limerick into a corner just seven days into their championship season.
That’s always going to get Clare people excited but I said it on TV last Sunday that I felt the result in Cork would put more pressure on Clare than Limerick. All that chat about Clare having Limerick on the edge of a cliff is not necessarily a negative for Clare. If anything, you’d imagine the players and management will embrace that challenge. But now they have to go out and try and put Limerick on the brink. And that’s never an easy task – especially in the circumstances.
The other question you’d have to ask is how much pressure are Limerick under either? Of course they don’t want to lose to their arch rivals but even if Limerick do lose here, the draw in Walsh Park has altered the bigger picture in Munster in that Tipp and Waterford still have to get results in their last two games to get on to at least four points to have a chance of qualifying. And both have to go to the Gaelic Grounds.
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Irrespective of what happens tomorrow, two results in their last two games should be enough for Limerick. But of course they won’t be thinking like that now. They can’t be. And John Kiely’s side won’t be.
I can’t wait for it to unfold. It’s going to be a fantastic occasion. I’d say there will be as many people in Ennis without tickets as with tickets. I’ve already detected as much in the pub. I don’t know how many people have said to me that they don’t have a ticket but they’re going into the town anyway. It will be like Mardi Gras.
After all the talk about Cork and Limerick being hurling’s main rivalry now, it’s been easy to forget that Clare-Limerick is still box-office. And being the only Liam MacCarthy fixture on this weekend has only increased the profile and anticipation even more.
The loss of Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch does reduce Limerick’s scoring threat but much of the discussion around this match has still centred on Clare’s defence after the huge total they shipped against Waterford. Four goals that afternoon could have been six or seven. It would have been only for some outstanding goalkeeping from Éibhear Quilligan.
Hurling scores have gone through the roof now – at all levels. The Mayo hurlers scored 2-34 last weekend against Fermanagh in the Nicky Rackard Cup, which is surely a record for Mayo. Sligo scored 3-28 in the same competition on the same day against Armagh. Those scorelines show how much teams are improving their shooting capabilities. Every team is going to ship big scores but the amount of chances – especially goal chances - that Clare coughed up two weeks ago is a real concern.
It has to be when it has been happening so often. Tipp could have had eight goals when they came to Ennis last year. The last time Limerick came to Ennis in 2024, Clare looked to be heading out of sight and then Limerick sickened them with three late second-half goals.
Defensively, Clare did a lot of good things against Waterford but they can’t be that open as they were two weeks ago. They might get away with conceding two green flags here, but definitely not three, and certainly not four.
Limerick only scored one goal six days ago against Cork – and a lucky one at that. They didn’t exactly shoot the lights out either with white flags but I still think they did a lot right. I felt they would have won if Cian hadn’t been red-carded.
On the other hand, they still didn’t win and success always leaves clues. I’m not saying that Clare need to copycat Cork but they’ll surely have looked closely at how often Cork got in close to goal and almost had at least two more goals only for some brilliant goalkeeping from Nickie Quaid.
Clare should come into this match much fresher too after a two-week break. Brian Lohan even let all the lads who didn’t feature against Waterford line out for their clubs last Sunday morning in the Clare Cup (league). It was an unusual move but the clubs were delighted.
We all saw how strong Clare’s bench was the last day, especially with the performance from the forwards who came in - Diarmuid Stritch, Shane Meehan and Ian Galvin, while Ronan Kilroy made his debut. Conor Leen, who was also introduced, could have been an All-Star two years ago.
That depth does give Clare another edge because Limerick no longer have as many options off the bench. Kiely may have to gamble again now and push Kyle Hayes into the half-forward line like he did for the last 15 minutes against Cork. And yet, all that talk about lack of options will have added more fuel to their fire and Kiely’s side will arrive into Ennis ready to slash and burn and perform.
If Clare can win and get onto four points, they’re in a great position this early in the championship. Even if Limerick do get to four points, Clare would have them on a head-to-head. This is a great opportunity and I think Clare sense how big it is especially when they still have to go to Thurles and Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
These matches have always been tight and I don’t expect anything different here. This will go to the wire but I think Clare can edge it.
