Who will lose out for Limerick on Sunday?

In Brian Cody’s time, being substituted before the hour mark in an All-Ireland semi-final was a portent for receiving a high jersey number come the final. O’Donovan and Gillane were benched like that against Clare. Just who will survive?

Limerick's Aaron Gillane was hooked midway through the Clare contest. Pic: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

Aaron Gillane benched for the second time in succession midway through the second half. Darragh O’Donovan whipped off before him. Dan Morrissey also getting the hook after having possibly his most awkward afternoon in a Limerick senior jersey.

John Kiely touches the wooden table when the relatively clean run of injuries is mentioned. But after that nail-biting win over Clare, it’s fair to say there has never been as much uncertainty about his starting team going into an All-Ireland final.

If Cian Lynch is to return to the team for Sunday, Kiely will have to break a habit of picking the same team for the final as he did for the semi-final. In 2018 and the four deciders from 2020 to ’23, nothing changed between the games.

The selection process will be thorough, Kiely assures. “Number one, you have to go and look at all of the players and how they performed based on the facts,” he says. “What were the actual facts? You have a look at all their clips, their stats and you take into consideration how they were coming into the game. You will have conversations with them. We have 36 players that are training every night and they're all putting their hand up, so it's a very competitive space.

“The men that you mentioned there are incredibly experienced and have been there before many, many times. So, I have great trust in their ability to process (the Clare game), focus on what they can do going forward and put their best foot forward and trust us to get the decisions right on team selection.”

Morrissey is trusted and Limerick aren’t the type of team that will allow him to be isolated. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

In Brian Cody’s time, being substituted before the hour mark in an All-Ireland semi-final was a portent for receiving a high jersey number come the final. Two of the following – O’Donovan and Gillane – were benched like that against Clare. Just who will survive?

Darragh O’Donovan: Next to Nickie Quaid, he was Limerick’s top player in the Munster final win over Cork but the Doon man struggled in Croke Park last Sunday week. His discipline wasn’t what it should have been, and it always seemed like he was chasing the game. He won’t need to be reminded that it wasn’t good enough. His clean-up work was integral to Limerick winning back the Mick Mackey Cup.

Aaron Gillane: It’s so rare to see the Patrickswell man put together back-to-back mediocre performances – he scored one point against Clare and nothing versus Cork. He had been in sparkling form before that calf injury ruled him out of the first couple of Munster round fixtures. It’s a long time ago now but he did score 1-4 against Galway in the league game in March. Besides, Gillane hasn’t done a whole pile to suggest he can be an impact substitute.

Dan Morrissey: Mike Casey looked like a man on a mission when he replaced Morrissey in the 63rd minute last day out. How he negated Peter Duggan was vital in the closing stages. Casey wouldn’t be perturbed by the height advantage that Jason Rabbitte would have against him but Morrissey matches up well to the Athenry starlet. Morrissey is trusted and Limerick aren’t the type of team that will allow him and Rabbitte to be isolated either.

Adam English: We’re including him here as he was a substitute in the Munster final and had been due to be on the bench against Clare only for Lynch’s foot injury. If Lynch is reintroduced to the team, he may feel the midfield balance is better alongside the covering O’Donovan. Early yellow cards are what seem to have compelled Kiely to drop him for the provincial decider but he didn’t stray last week.