Colin Coughlan the epitome of Limerick's multitude of options

Containing as it did just four players that began last August’s All-Ireland final win, the Limerick team put out by John Kiely for Munster Hurling Cup decider was a largely second-string one

Clare's David Reidy and Colin Coughlan of Limerick. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

New season, same Limerick swagger.

Containing as it did just four players that began last August’s All-Ireland final win, the Limerick team put out by John Kiely for the Munster Hurling Cup decider was a largely second-string one. And yet the hurling produced by these less familiar names in green was a mirror image of the men whose places they are attempting to unsettle.

Clare boss Brian Lohan remarked afterwards that Limerick “don’t seem to be going backwards”.

It was an understatement in the extreme, what with the Treaty’s two-game pre-season campaign offering fresh evidence of the unrivalled depth Kiely has at his disposal.

Half-back Colin Coughlan, in this his first year out of U20, has been the standout player during Limerick’s unbeaten January endeavours, both for his build and hurling ability. And the same as Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, and Kyle Hayes, the young Ballybrown man is well capable of splitting the opposition posts from his own 65-metre line, which he did on two occasions in this match.

Used as a second-half sub in last year’s All-Ireland semi- and final wins, Coughlan won’t make life easy for the aforementioned trio as the season progresses.

Further forward, Brian O’Grady put in another impressive shift at midfield, which included a brace from play, while in attack, there were hands raised by Cathal O’Neill, Darren O’Connell, and Oisin O’Reilly.

Limerick players and Manager John Kiely, right, after the 2022 Co-op Superstores Munster Hurling Cup final. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

In sum, Limerick, if we didn’t already know so, have a multitude of options.

“There were players out there that have been on the panel for a number of years. It is time for them to put their hand up and start pushing for their place in the team and have more involvement in the campaign ahead,” said Kiely.

“They know themselves they have a lot of work to do. But their attitude is good. That's all I can ask for at this time of year, and that they are trying to bring as much as they can to the table.”

For Limerick, all bar one of the last eight competitions they’ve been involved in has yielded silverware. But of more concern for Kiely than the 11 trophies collected over the past five seasons is how he will communicate with players if water breaks are binned ahead of the League throwing-in.

“Well by all accounts it's going to be a major setback to us,” replied the manager, tongue-in-cheek, when asked about the potential discontinuation of water breaks.

“Why do you think the maor foirne was introduced in the first place, so we could get messages in. It'll be very interesting to hear the comments of others throughout the season when people will struggle to get messages into their team.”

Lohan echoed these sentiments, while also expressing a desire for the All-Ireland final to revert to its old September slot.

“The argument is about the clubs, but in a lot of counties when they go back to their clubs in those first six weeks, there’s nothing happening anyway.

“I would be against trying to rush everything through as quickly as possible and forcing players to go three weeks in a row. Waterford got over it last year and then they played Limerick (in the All-Ireland semi-final) and it was an unfair battle.”