Eamonn Cregan: Treaty need to drop hand-passing obsession

Eamonn Cregan has called on Limerick to “stop bloody hand-passing the ball out of defence” and operate a more direct style of hurling ahead of Saturday’s Division 1 quarter-final against Dublin.

Cregan, who recently guided Mary Immaculate College to their first Fitzgibbon Cup title, said Limerick must show an improvement of “75% to 80%” in their performance from the defeat to Clare if they are to avoid a third consecutive competition exit to Dublin having lost to them at the same stage last year followed by the qualifier defeat.

The 1973 All-Ireland winner has questioned the tactics that have been applied in the county for the last six seasons. “It doesn’t suit Limerick. How do I put it? The players must use their intelligence themselves. If they have to stick to the dogma of holding onto the ball and having to run with the ball, they will continue to lose games.