Aidan O'Connor thrives as Limerick make statement against Cork

THRIVING: Aidan O'Connor in action for Limerick. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor.

Here’s a novel piece of information for you. Aidan O’Connor has never started a Munster Championship round-robin game. There have been six cameos over the past two seasons but never a round-robin start.

Barring injury, that statistic will be corrected next month. 23-year-old O’Connor has elevated himself so far up the green pecking order that his place in the Limerick attack is now without question.

Prior to Saturday, O’Connor had never started five League games in succession. For the fourth successive game, his final tally was in double digits. For the fourth successive game, the centre-forward was not defined by his new status as Limerick free-taker.

There was no wobble in self-confidence after missing his opening dead-ball effort. There were four points from play. There was assured hopping of his second-half penalty past Patrick Collins.

There was, probably, slight annoyance that his 1-11 total wasn’t higher, having seen a first half goal drive blocked, as well as twice being off target for the white flag.

Last spring, O’Connor started five of Limerick’s six League outings. He was used at wing-forward, centre-forward, and corner-forward. He had no permanent home. His home for the subsequent Munster round-robin was the Limerick bench, before squeezing into the line-up for the Munster final and All-Ireland quarter-final defeats.

John Kiely praised O’Connor’s patience, perseverance, and the manner in which he is now pouncing on the opportunity afforded to him.

“In sport, it takes a long time to build confidence, and he's worked so hard over the last number of years to put himself into the frame to get on the pitch, and now that he's taken this opportunity, which he has when we gave him the frees a number of weeks ago, you couldn't budge him off them,” said the Treaty boss.

“His accuracy has been unerring, his energy on them, and he's just in a very comfortable place. His confidence is high, and more luck to him.

“He's got to keep driving it on. He knows there's a man behind him waiting to pick them up if he drops them for a couple of seconds, so that's a great piece for us to have.”

O’Connor thriving in the heart of the Limerick attack is emblematic of the changing of the green guard currently taking place in this area of the field.

To his left, Cathal O’Neill struck 1-2 from play and assisted two second half points. To his right, Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey, as they had done against Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Offaly, continued to tussle and trade the No.10 shirt.

The Dublin All-Ireland quarter-final defeat represented the 51st championship match Hegarty and Morrissey have started together. That run could be about to stall.

Inside, Shane O’Brien’s wrecking form placed renewed question marks over the Cork full-back position occupied by Dáire O’Leary since the League threw in.

O’Leary was an occasional outlet for Patrick Collins short restarts and also reacted quickest when a Limerick first half point attempt came down off the post, but when it came to straight contests between himself and the Bull O’Brien, O’Leary lost all rounds.

O’Brien took on and beat him for a goal inside 80 seconds, was fouled by O’Leary the next time possession came into their corner, and when he again fouled him on the far Mackey Stand side on 33 minutes, the Cork full-back was yellow-carded.

There’s also uncertainty over where Ciarán Joyce, stationed at midfield on Saturday night, is going to end up come championship. Eoin Downey clocked another really impressive showing in the half-back line, particularly in the air, and with older brother Rob (shoulder) and newly appointed vice-captain Mark Coleman (hamstring) to return, four into three for half-back berths won’t go.

Where there was red encouragement was the directness and confidence of Barry Walsh in just his second start.

His down-the-line pass to Brian Hayes should have resulted in Cork’s second point. The still-U20 Walsh twice found the target in the space of 24 seconds in the eighth minute. He was sharp on puckout breaks, turned over Barry Nash for a Shane Barrett second half point, and saw a late goal shot saved by Nickie Quaid.

When Ben O’Connor spoke post-match about how happy he was with lads holding their own in this first exposure to such a congested and physical environment, you were more than certain he had Walsh in mind.

And with Diarmuid Healy’s quad issue going to roll into championship, the Killeagh youngster is in the frame for No.10 selection.

“Duds is the most serious of all the injuries. All the other fellas, it’s only a couple of weeks and things. We have a couple of weeks to get fellas back. Duds won’t be back. It’s a revolving door but look there’ll be other counties the same,” said Ben.

“It is great to be looking at fellas above in training but until you fire them into the heat of battle, you've no idea how they are doing. I think every fella stood up there tonight, they put their hand up to say, 'fire me in the next time, I am good enough for here'.

“A learning experience for a lot of our fellas that wouldn't have had that kind of a game under their belt. I think we learned enough of them tonight to see that we have plenty fellas good enough to play at this level.”