Limerick manager John Kiely reacts during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 1 match between Tipperary and Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile.
By John Harrington
Limerick manager John Kiely’s glass was half-full after Sunday’s Munster SHC Round 1 Championship draw with Tipperary.
His team was in a winning position until the fourth and final minute of extra-time when a Darragh McCarthy free levelled the game for Tipp, but Kiely was still upbeat about Limerick’s championship prospects going forward.
“It was a titanic battle,” he said. “Conditions probably lent itself to that. Two really well prepared teams that went at it physically, tactically. It was a proper game of hurling, proper Munster Championship match. And yeah, we're disappointed we didn't get the win, but delighted we got a point.
“A couple of aspects we'll be disappointed with. We conceded two goals that we won't be happy with, that'll make difficult viewing during the week for us. But I think our resilience and our calmness and the way we kept in the process, if you like. We stuck, really stuck to the process today.
“And for us, if you think about it, that's Nickie's first game in goals. I thought his puck-outs were excellent. I thought he had a a super, super game. He'll benefit greatly from that today. Our full-back line, that's the first time they played a championship match together. That'll benefit them as a group.
“Our half backline, I thought were solid. Colin, first championship match. William back at six, really solid there. Adam and Cian, a relationship and partnership that's growing all the time. And up front, I think our forwards worked really, really hard.
“They'll be disappointed that we didn't get a couple of more scores going forward, from the front eight. A couple of chances that we just left go, either wide or dropped short. But all told, a titanic battle. We would have liked to have gotten two points, but really happy that we got one.”
The big talking point before the game was the inclusion in the starting XV of Nickie Quaid who returned to the team just five months after rupturing his cruciate ligament.
When did Kiely sense the custodian would be fit to play?
“Well, he's been in full training for the last three weeks. So when he's able to play in-house games and do everything that he would have been doing all along, it had to be considered.
“Just delighted that he got through it, it'll be a huge confidence builder for him. You can't replicate championship match in training. You try to. So this'll be a huge, huge plus for him and something that he can build on. He’s back now and that’s it.”
