Carey: We’d love a crack at Kilkenny

For hurling followers everywhere, one of the most iconic moments in the history of the modern game was the winning point scored by Limerick’s Ciarán Carey against champions Clare in their 1996 Munster championship clash.

These days Carey is on the other side of the line, a selector alongside Limerick boss John Allen, and this evening they are preparing for another tilt against their neighbours.

The Allianz Hurling League Division 1B final may not be championship fare but it’s a huge game nevertheless, with a date with Kilkenny in the last four of the top flight, and promotion, at stake.

Carey admitted: “It’s a game we’d love to win. I’m sure it’s the same for Clare. A crack at Kilkenny would be a great test for either of us. After that you’d know exactly where you are.

“Overall it’s been a good league for us. We lost our opening game (against Clare) after a good start, drew a game we could have won (last minute penalty goal against Offaly) so it was a good learning curve for our younger players, a good taste of competition at this level. We introduced the likes of Thomas O’Brien, Conor Allis, Shane Dowling, Seán O’Brien, Mark Carmody – all those guys got a run when we got the chance to bring them in. We have a very young squad and ideally we’d have liked to experiment a bit more but the way the league worked out, every game was important after we lost to Clare in the opener. We didn’t get much opportunity to experiment.

“Every game became a must-win game if we wanted to contest the final.”

Limerick’s final game was a winner-take-all visit to Casement Park against Antrim (presuming that Clare beat Offaly in Tullamore, which they did).

A feature of that game was the free-taking of young Shane Dowling whose two first-half goals from two 20 metre frees knocked the stuffing from the Antrim challenge.

“Shane was acting under instructions,” Carey explained; “You have to go for it when it’s on. Pa Bourke did it for Tipperary against Cork, and we suffered from it ourselves with Shane Dooley’s last minute penalty for Offaly.

“It’s a special talent — not everyone can put a ball down 20m or more from the goals, step up to it and bury it. Only a handful of people have that talent and that confidence. Shane’s technique is perfect for it. By the time he’s striking the ball he’s almost on the 13m line and he has a serious shot as well. He’s only turned 19 but he’s had a senior hurling brain and has very good vision. He is a great bit of stuff.”

Both teams are a little short-handed this evening and Limerick are minus Declan Hannon, Conor Allis, Seamus Hickey while Tom Condon is a doubt.

“You’d love to have everyone available but that isn’t the case. We’ve been hampered by injury all through the league but that’s given us an opportunity to see what other players are like. We are where we are and are extremely happy to be contesting another league final for the second year running, with a chance of promotion.

“There’s been a lot of talk about last year when we did what we had to do to win promotion but then they changed the rules. But we’re not going to be side-tracked by that. We’re in this final, we’re hoping to win, but regardless of what happens we’ll take it from there.”