Stephen McDonagh: ‘When you cross the white line, age becomes irrelevant’

Former Limerick hurler Stephen McDonagh has described Treaty supporters as the most patient in the country and says the younger members of John Kiely’s team must deliver in this Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final.

Of the 35 Limerick players to see game-time during this year’s league, nine fall into the U21 bracket, while five more were eligible for this grade last year. From this group, Kyle Hayes (a minor in 2016), the Casey brothers, Peter and Mike, Ronan Lynch and David Dempsey are in line to make their championship debuts against Clare at Semple Stadium.

All of these players were part of minor and U21 teams that overcame Cork selections in recent years, including last year’s Munster U21 quarter-final, and so if Shane Kingston, Luke Meade, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Mark Coleman can step up to the mark in the company of the All-Ireland champions, Limerick’s younger brigade should be able to do likewise this weekend.