Evergreen Treaty still gunning for All-Ireland, insists former skipper Declan Hannon

The much-decorated Adare men has stepped away from John Kiely's panel.

Former Limerick Hurler Declan Hannon at Croke Park. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Declan Hannon has dismissed talk of Limerick being in transition, insisting their squad profile is healthy and that they'll be challenging for top honours again.

The freshly-retired five-time All-Ireland winning captain's last game was the shock 2025 quarter-final loss to Dublin at Croke Park.

Limerick's last All-Ireland win came in 2023, the same year that the Dublin footballers last claimed the Sam Maguire Cup before their golden era group broke up.

Both counties have failed to reach a final since, though decorated defender Hannon rejected the comparison.

Speaking at the launch of The Club Summit, a February 7 Croke Park conference delivered by amazon.ie that will bring together volunteers to offer practical support, shared learning and discussion, Hannon said Limerick are still at the forefront of the game.

"We haven't lost half as many as what the Dubs would have lost," said Hannon. "I wouldn't say we're in transition at all, no. There's still a massively healthy group of experienced lads there, and still young. A lot of these boys aren't even 30 yet. So hopefully the train hasn't stopped yet."

Aside from Hannon's retirement, Seamus Flanagan and Shane Dowling aren't part of John Kiely's panel while the management moved on without Micheal Houlihan, Fergal O'Connor, Jason Gillane and Cian Scully also. But captain Cian Lynch is still surrounded by a team of generational performers.

The early signs in 2026 are positive with Limerick experimenting heavily in the Munster Hurling League and still qualifying for Saturday's final against Waterford.

Hannon reckons that Limerick are armed with fresh 'anger' and determination after the surprise defeat to Dublin last June.

"We were second best, we were second to everything on that day," he acknowledged. "Maybe the Dubs were more up for it, something like that, I don't know. I'm sure the lads will be hurting from that and that can be a good thing going into a new year, that you have a kind of anger and a bit of hurt from the year before to try to use and put you at the peak of your powers for when it comes around to the championship.

"And it's funny, like, people talking about Limerick and you're saying, 'Oh, two years is a long time not to be in an All-Ireland final'. But if you said that 10 years ago, people would have been laughing at the idea of two years being a long time."

Three-time All-Star Hannon isn't expecting any changes around style either, despite missing out on All-Ireland success across 2024 and 2025. He said their 'playing the ball through the lines' style has served them well.

"I can't see them deviating too much from it," said the Adare man. "You have to evolve a small bit, of course, and no better man than Paul Kinnerk to come up with something small to change things but I don't know, I can't see them changing hugely. Then you look at Tipp last year, plenty of direct ball and they got plenty of goals from it, Cork the same. I suppose it depends on the players you have and what system works best for you."