Duncan Casey: Limerick's falling rugby stock is bad news for all

The years of decline Limerick faced in the aftermath of the financial crash fundamentally changed the landscape of club rugby in the city to such an extent that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDWEST: Packed crowds and the cream of talent once adorned Limerick club rugby, as in this 1998 pic of Shannon's Irish international Alan Quinlan being tackled by Pat Humphreys of Garryowen (with David Wallace looking on) in their Division 1 match at Dooradoyle. Pic: David Maher, Sportsfile

THE All-Ireland League tables make grim reading right now for long-term followers of club rugby in Limerick. With six games left to play, 2008 champions Garryowen find themselves at the foot of Division 1A and Shannon, 2009 winners and the most successful club in AIL history, are in the same position in 1B.

I’m hopeful both teams can turn things around in the coming weeks but it’s not a situation any club wants to find themselves in, let alone those with such a strong history and tradition. From a Limerick perspective, the league looks radically different to when I made my first senior appearance in October 2010, against a Dolphin side featuring James Coughlan.