Limerick’s apprentices have served their time

LIMERICK APPRENTICES: Cathal O'Neill made his breakthrough for the Limerick senior hurlers in 2021. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

The morning after Limerick’s 2022 All-Ireland success, John Kiely sat down to review the success.

The foyer of the Clayton Hotel in Burlington Hotel hummed with delight but former U21 manager Kiely was keen to make a sobering point: the U20 grade was too young and delaying the development of senior players.

“If you look across all the teams, how many teams are bringing new players into their teams now versus two, three, four, five years ago?” asked Kiely. “I think we’ve seen a cliff edge in terms of players coming through from U20. It has disappeared.

“We’re bringing in a few players from U20s because we need to bring them in. It’s not because we have to bring them in. They’re good players but they have so much development to go through when they come into us, it’s insane.

“It’s like having your rookies coming out of college. They’re not ready. The 20s grade is too young and the 17s is definitely too young for me. That’s the piece that I’m most worried about – how are we going to get the next players through all our county teams, not just ours (Limerick’s), and are going to come through ready to play hurling? I’m very concerned about that.” 

At the time, Kiely had introduced Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Fergal O’Connor and Cathal O’Neill. That season, O’Neill made his first championship start but two championships on and the other three are still waiting. There are exceptions, of course, like Shane O’Brien who began last year’s Munster final at the age of 19 but apprenticeships now tend to be extended in Limerick.

Along with Aidan O’Connor, Coughlan, English, O’Connor, O’Neill and O’Brien were part of Diarmuid Mullins’ U20 side that reached the 2022 All-Ireland final and probably would have won had O’Neill not been deemed ineligible having lined out for the seniors in the Munster SHC.

Besides O’Neill, 10 of the team that lost the decider to Kilkenny were part of this year’s training panel. Donnacha Ó Dalaigh, who came on a substitute, remains part of the group too and Jimmy Quilty was previously before suffering a cruciate tear. For the postponed game against Kilkenny last weekend, five were announced in the team and another quintet on the bench.

Portlaoise man Mullins is thrilled to see their progression but isn’t surprised it has taken them longer to advance. “The move to U20 and the level of physicality and maturity required at senior inter-county now has meant players need more time. I can remember when I first came to Limerick, Andrew O’Shaughnessy was playing for Limerick at 17. He was an unbelievable talent, not that it would be allowed now. At the same time, you’re not seeing a lot of 18 or 19-year-olds coming straight into senior county set-ups now.

“For the vast majority of players, you now need about two years to get to the level required at senior inter-county. Against Tipperary recently, there were nine from recent under-age teams who saw action, which was great.

“Then Limerick are also in the privileged position of having a successful team where young players have to work harder. You’re talking about breaking into a team that has won six Munsters in a row and five All-Irelands in seven years. It’s difficult to make changes to teams when the players on them are performing consistently but I would get a sense that the management team this year are looking to get real confidence from more of their panel.” 

The nature of the U20 season as players put an emphasis on strength and conditioning has also been a factor in development, says Mullins. “It is quite condensed. Realistically, you’re getting the squad together at the end of November and the championship is more or less completed by mid-May so there is a fine balance between hurling sessions and the strength and conditioning side of things.

“It was unfortunate for Cathal that he couldn’t play for us in the 2022 U20 final when he was the best U20 hurler from that year, but it took him time to establish himself and it probably happened in last year’s championship." 

After stepping down in 2023, Mullins is now involved with Limerick’s U15s as part of the county’s famed academy. The objective is to seize on this golden era and replenish future senior panels.

“The strength of the academy, going back 15 years, is a specific training day on a Saturday when there are no club fixtures,” says Mullins. “The net is spread very wide in Limerick, no matter what club or level you’re playing at.

“The key for people in the academy is while this is the greatest Limerick team in living memory, the challenge is remain a top four county consistently in the future and ensure there is no slip. That’s the hope.”

LIMERICK’S U20 CLASS OF 2022 = SENIOR CLASS OF 2025?

Colin Coughlan (23 this year, Ballybrown).

Joined panel (season): 2021. Senior debut: 2021. SHC appearances: 5. SHC starts: 0.

Adam English (22 this year, Doon).

Joined panel (season): 2022. Senior debut: 2022. SHC appearances: 9. SHC starts: 1.

Aidan O’Connor (23 this year, Ballybrown).

Joined panel (season): 2023. Senior debut: 2023. SHC appearances: 4. SHC starts: 0.

Fergal O’Connor (23 this year, Effin).

Joined panel (season): 2022. Senior debut: 2024. SHC appearances: 2. SHC starts: 0.

Cathal O’Neill (23 this year, Crecora-Manister).

Joined panel (season): 2021. Senior debut: 2021. SHC appearances: 19. SHC starts: 5.

Shane O’Brien (21 this year, Kilmallock).

Joined panel (season): 2023. Senior debut: 2023. SHC appearances: 3. SHC starts: 1.