Dan Morrissey: Inspirational Hannon fulfilled all the promise he showed at 12
BREAKTHROUGH BOYS: Dan Morrissey and Declan Hannon in 2018. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Dan Morrissey has described freshly retired Limerick colleague Declan Hannon as one of those rare players who promised so much, and actually delivered.
Former captain Hannon called it quits this week having powered Limerick to five All-Ireland SHC titles.
Morrissey, who is also 32 and sticking around for 2026, said he felt that Hannon had more to offer though acknowledged that the centre-back has been affected by injuries.
Hannon completed 15 seasons with Limerick though Morrissey, who will captain Ireland tomorrow in the annual hurling/shinty international, said what really impressed him was that Hannon came all the way through from schoolboy phenom to senior star.
"He was one of those guys that was talked about since he was probably U-10 or U-12," said Morrissey. "And you'd hear so much about guys at that age and they just never go on to fulfil their potential. But he just carried it on the whole way through, through Harty Cups, Fitzgibbon Cups, called into the Limerick squad straight after his Leaving Cert.
"I remember down in Thurles, in 2011, he had just done the Leaving Cert and was involved for the All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin and he was one of the best lads on the pitch.
"I would have played with him on Limerick minor teams and for the U-21s. He was just a pleasure to play with. He had such good vision and was such a good hurler.
"He's been such an inspiration and a leader over the years. He's the most successful captain of all time. To captain your county to four Liam MacCarthys, it would have been five if he wasn't injured that year, he was just such a great person to have around. It's definitely going to be a change next year."
Hannon's departure leaves Limerick with a dozen starters from the breakthrough All-Ireland winning team of 2018 still involved. Graeme Mulcahy and Richie English, who also started the 2018 final win, have retired too.
"That says a lot, because it's going to be eight years next year," said Morrissey, ruling himself in for another season in green.
Limerick will miss Hannon's leadership and wide skillset though.
"As a hurler, it was just how he could read the game and how natural his striking of the ball was, it was unbelievable," said Morrissey. "The wrists that he had, his ability to pick out forwards, his ability even to strike points on the run. It just came so naturally to him."
Morrissey will be joined in the Ireland squad by Limerick colleague Shane O'Brien for tomorrow's hurling/shinty international in Inverness.
Joint Ireland manager Terence McNaughton namechecked O'Brien as a player he's particularly excited about watching.
"The Bull has come in and taken to it like a duck to water, he looks really dangerous," said former Antrim player and manager McNaughton of O'Brien. "Last year, Eoin Cody set the place alight in this game but I think we have a great replacement in The Bull."
Morrissey, speaking from a Limerick perspective, said it's important to have players like O'Brien stepping up to fill the voids left by the likes of Hannon.
"Obviously Graeme and Dec are huge losses but there have been a good few young lads introduced in the last few years too, you've Adam English, you've The Bull O'Brien, Cathal O'Neill," said Morrissey. "Every year there's one or two new lads coming to the fore. It's like everything, no team goes on forever."
As for captaining Ireland, Morrissey described it as a 'huge honour for me' and said the team plan is to keep it simple and play to their hurling strengths.
"I think one of the big advantages we have over them is the solo, they obviously can't solo with their sticks," he said. "We'll try to use the solo as best we can and avoid conceding too many goals and giving away soft frees."
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