Life getting more complicated for Limerick's lieutenants
Diarmaid Byrnes and Cian Lynch of Limerick celebrate after 2021 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Pride swells in Patrickswell. In this golden era of Limerick hurling, their triumvirate have been chief alchemists.
Three men, 15 All-Irelands, 11 All-Stars, four hurler of the year awards. And counting. Surely, in a time a mural of Diarmaid Byrnes, Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch will look down from a wall in the parish like Thurles Sarsfields’ greats Mick 'Rattler' Byrne, Jimmy Doyle and Pat Stakelum along with John Doyle do from the side of Barrett’s Bar.
But in Patrickswell right now the talk is quiet. In the village’s pubs, pints are drunk deep. Diarmaid Byrnes and Cian Lynch aren’t humming like they used to and there is consternation. Whispered anxiety but anxiety nevertheless.
It's almost blasphemous to state it but Byrnes is being targeted by opponents as the weakest link in Limerick’s venerable half-back line. And it’s not a new phenomenon. Marking Barry Nash may have been the key move for Limerick’s opponents last year but against Tipperary Byrnes had been given his fill of it by Jake Morris in a first half when he posted three points. To a lesser extent, Darragh Lyons’ movement in the opener against Waterford also gave him some difficulty.
It was a testament to Byrnes’ class that the then reigning hurler of the year ended the season shortlisted for the award again. But the hammer continues to be hammered. Peter Duggan didn’t score in Ennis last month yet he was outstanding in the air in the first half and won their duel on points. Seamus Harnedy’s victory might not have come by stoppage but it came.
Byrnes has 1-4 to his name in this year’s Munster SHC. However, none of it has come from play. He hasn’t scored from play in his last five outings. In last year’s provincial SHC round stages, he sent over five points outside of placed balls.
As for those frees and 65s, his conversion rate is less than 25% in three Munster SHC games, which for a marksman of Byrnes’ quality leaves a lot to be desired. If struck properly, his goal against Clare would have been a point. If struck properly, he would have pointed and Gillane wouldn’t have found the net against Tipp.
Lynch has managed just two points in this championship although he has been asked to do more spadework, toggling between midfield and the half-forward line in Darragh O’Donovan’s continued absence.
Nevertheless, he has laboured at times. The easy thing to say is he isn’t the same player since the hamstring injury in 2022 that threatened his career and flared up again last year and the ankle setback prior to the ’22 All-Ireland final. The same wizardry, the same sleight of hand is there, but he’s yet to rediscover his ability to scoot out of trouble.
In the mini warm-up games prior to the Cork game, it was noticeable how at times he took over 10 steps with the ball in hand. Steps aren’t marshalled like they used to be but it wasn’t exactly match simulation.
The consensus is Lynch and Byrnes will come good because they are too good to be addled by these funks. For inspiration, they have teammates who are on the other side of such troughs. Nickie Quaid didn’t do a whole pile wrong last year but he wasn’t up to his exemplary standards. This year, no other goalkeeper comes close to him.
Tom Morrissey can dip at times but rarely puts two poor displays back-to-back. Declan Hannon will mull over how he was caught backpedaling like Byrnes on the Cork puckout, but he has enough will and savviness to come back brighter.
If there is one teammate truly redeemed, it’s Gearóid Hegarty. He might tell us before the year is out but he seems fuelled by a difficult 2023 when, even as he claimed a fifth Celtic Cross, six Limerick players were nominated in the All-Star forwards and he wasn’t among them. That wasn’t intended as a slight but he is the type of player who will harness it as one.
He’s in beast mode this year, has lost weight, claimed a man of the match award against Clare and was Limerick’s second best player after Seamus Flanagan following a stirring second half when he set up his teammate for two goals. It’s clear he has the bit between the teeth but do others?
Those who know the players well speak of their priorities changing. House moves and mortgages occupy minds. Limerick’s lieutenants aren’t getting soft, they’re just getting on with their lives.
Posting 3-3 against Cork, Flanagan marked a return to form and where else but at his favourite ground SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. However, he had been struggling to find his groove and Peter Casey’s season-ending injury provided a chance to prove his pedigree.
Flanagan and his wife Laurie have young children. Lynch and his girlfriend Dayna are expecting twins. Life is getting or about to become more complicated.
Hurling is the constant but with time it also has its place.
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