Limerick's Dan Morrissey in favour of playing 2027 hurling league final on Ryder Cup week

US PAYDAY: Limerick hurler Dan Morrissey stands for a portrait during the 2026 World GAA Games Launch in Waterford. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile.

Limerick full-back Dan Morrissey is in favour of playing the 2027 Division 1A hurling final on the Tuesday of Ryder Cup week.

While the majority of Division 1A county boards are opposed to moving next year's hurling league decider from April to a mid-September slot at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, so as to coincide and capitalise on the spotlight of the sporting world being honed in on Adare, Morrissey supports the novel idea.

“Speaking solely for myself, I would probably have been up for it, but it would have been important to set parameters around the club scene, that the two teams would only be available for 10 days leading up to the final,” he said.

“Having an exhibition match for all the Americans and Europeans coming over to Limerick for that week, it would have been great but you can understand why it is not going ahead as well, it would have been very tricky to balance in the middle of a club season.

“Hopefully there is some sort of game. It would be good to have something in Limerick for all the tourists that are going to be there.”

There’ll be nothing exhibition about this Sunday. After missing over two months of action because of a hamstring injury, Morrissey returned inside the whitewash when introduced in the second half of the May 3 mauling of Limerick. He started both of the subsequent wins over Waterford and Tipp.

Meetings with Cork during the Pat Ryan era meant a straight three-on-three battle between the Cork inside line and Limerick’s last line of defence. Such a set-up offered more security for the defender and less space for the forward.

Under Ben, though, Cork have not been so orthodox. Newcomer William Buckley has a licence to roam, with Alan Connolly spotted on multiple occasions out around midfield against Clare.

“There is always going to be a bit more space when it is just two-on-two inside,” said 33-year-old Morrissey.

“As a full-back-line player, being able to read the game is the most important skill. The ball coming in is generally a 60-40 ball in favour of the forward. You just really want to try and get out in front, and if you can’t, just try and get some sort of a spoil on the ball.”

Across League and Championship, Sunday represents a fourth Cork-Limerick clash of 2026. The potential for a fifth in mid-July is undeniably strong. Morrissey sees little value in looking up the road.

“Last year people were saying Limerick and Cork might meet again in the final and it didn’t turn out like that. We just want to win this Sunday.

“Limerick wouldn't have been in a whole pile of Munster finals growing up. If they got to one every five or six years, that was probably it. So, to be in our eighth final in-a-row is really just a dream to be involved in days like this.”