Ryan adamant Dublin hurlers won’t underestimate Limerick

Dublin’s Paul Ryan isn’t buying into the idea Limerick are struggling ahead of Saturday’s top-of-the-table Allianz Hurling Division 1B clash at Croke Park.

John Allen’s side have flattered to deceive in both their wins over Antrim and Carlow, whereas Dublin took a decent scalp away to Antrim last weekend.

Both sides are fancied to face each other in the Division 1B final next month, and Ryan anticipates a different Limerick side in Croke Park to the one seen in previous weekends.

“I know people said they only beat Carlow by a few points but we wouldn’t read anything into that because we know they will come at us with all guns blazing,” said Ryan.

“We started out this year looking at every game as an important one but obviously the Limerick one is a big game. It is in Croke Park, it is a big occasion — they are one of the best teams in the league.”

Dublin have already won three more games this year than they did in their entire 2012 season and Ryan feels they are slowly but surely distancing themselves from that forgettable campaign last year.

“It’s every two years we seem to make a jump at it,” said the Ballyboden St Enda’s man, in reference to their fine 2011 season. “This year we really just want to get back to focusing on performances.

“We felt before that we got a bit ahead of ourselves without doing the hard work.

“We’re just getting back to the drawing board this year and we have a few wins under our belts.

“Winning is a habit and we know from last year losing is a habit as well. Last year was a major disappointment. I suppose we weren’t closing out games and that was our biggest problem.”

Dublin have already found the net four times in their opening two league games where scoring goals had been a problem in the past.

“You practise all facets of the game but I wouldn’t say we honed in on goals,” insisted Ryan.

“A goal chance, if it presents itself in a game, you take it anyway.”