Seamus Hickey expects Clare to feel Limerick backlash

Seamus Hickey doesn’t want to read too much into Limerick’s 21-point hammering against Cork on Sunday but admits a backlash is required against Clare this evening.

“That’s a no-brainer. We have to put up our standards. You can’t accept that as a normal standard, no question. There will have to be a response. It’s not going to be tearing down walls but we have to up what we consider to be a normal standard and what’s acceptable from our group.”

The defender agreed with manager John Kiely’s assessment that the result was unacceptable. At the same time, he stressed the context and timing of it. “John was right and you never want to put in that type of performance but it is what it is. We put out a team that we felt was capable of winning the game — John did — and it didn’t happen.

“It’s January, it’s the Munster League, we have a game against Clare and that’s what we’re looking at. I don’t think there’s a massive reaction from us and I don’t think there’s a reaction needed from anyone else either.”

Hickey missed the game through injury having lined out in the previous Munster Senior League game against Waterford. “I’ve a bad back, bad knees, a poor ankle so I’ve no chance. This is the time of year if you’re not optimistic and you’re not positive, then why are you there? I’m optimistic, I’m positive.”

Limerick’s defeat was all the more surprising considering how quickly they have to be alert at the start of their Division 1B campaign when they travel to Wexford.

“We’ve had to hit the ground running every year and I don’t think it’s an accident that our fixtures are like that. I think the GAA want the league to be competitive from start to finish and they want something up for grabs on the last day and that’s why we’ve got Galway last and Wexford first.”