Burgeoning talent O'Brien targeting regular starting berth in green 

YOUNG GUNS: Limerick's Shane O'Brien with Adam Hogan of Clare. Pic: Evan Treacy/Inpho

A rare year without an All-Ireland for Limerick but still growth and development in the burgeoning career of Shane O'Brien.

The 2024 season was a curious one for the young Kilmallock man who made his full championship debut in the Munster final win over Clare.

He was the first substitute brought on then against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat and winced late on as a point attempt flew wide.

Throw in an Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup win earlier in the year with Mary Immaculate College and it was one of those head spinning seasons.

O'Brien is drawn back to those final difficult few minutes against Cork, when Limerick struck three wides and lost by two.

"It's a horrible feeling but there is nothing you can do once it's over, you can replay a shot a thousand times in your head but there is nothing you can do once that ball leaves the hurley," said O'Brien.

The 20-year-old reckons that if he'd been given another 100 attempts at the same shot, 'I might have got it 90 more times'.

It was a learning point for sure in what turned out to be a cruel cauldron where mistakes were magnified.

"It's like a colosseum of people roaring," said O'Brien of the atmosphere at Croke Park.

Six months or so on, Limerick are ready to go again though they're without Graeme Mulcahy, O'Brien's Kilmallock clubmate, who has retired.

There is no Nickie Quaid either following an ACL injury and that has provided us with one of the more intriguing storylines for 2025 - who will wear number one for Limerick?

Jason Gillane, who won a Fitzgibbon medal with O'Brien last spring, perhaps fancied his chances of stepping up until John Kiely rolled the dice and landed on Shane Dowling.

"Jason was a huge asset to us last year, I think he scored 1-2 or 1-3 for us in the (Fitzgibbon) final," said O'Brien.

"There's a lot of options there. It's an interesting time. I think whoever is playing well, same as any outfield player, if you're in form...and the goalkeeping coaches would be able to relay that back to John Kiely. I think it's whoever's in form, it could be any of the three of them."

The third possible goalkeeper, of course, is Conor Hanley-Clarke, another clubmate of O'Brien's.

Quaid was also included in Limerick's pre-season panel for 2025 so could yet make it back in double quick time, a la Bernard Brogan?

"Nickie was in the gym last night," said O'Brien yesterday. "He's going to put his all into the rehab, as would any outfield player who has done their cruciate. It's a horrible injury. But I don't know what the time frame is for Nickie. Would it be different for a goalie? I'd have to presume it would be, compared to an outfield player. I presume Nickie probably has some goal in his own head that he wants to get back for. If Nickie can do that, brilliant."

O'Brien's personal target for 2025 is to be a regular starter. He has an All-Ireland medal from 2023 but didn't play a minute.

"Definitely, that would be the goal," he said of winning a second All-Ireland as a regular starter. "But, to be honest, if we won another All-Ireland and I was on the panel, I'd be happy enough as well. Just to be around that group, it's phenomenal."