Limerick's Tom Morrissey pictured ahead of Sunday's Allianz Hurling League encounter against Galway at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.
By Cian O’Connell
Following the pleasure of 2018, pain subsequently hit the Limerick hurlers in 2019.
A harrowing All Ireland SHC semi-final loss to Kilkenny hurt deeply, especially so after the Liam MacCarthy Cup had been captured a year previously.
That illustrated what could be achieved and as a new campaign starts to unfold, Tom Morrissey senses possibilities existing once more.
“Maybe it is slightly different this year,” Morrissey admits. “We have a good lot of new fellas in the panel this year, we have a few changes made to the backroom team so there might be a slightly different feel to it.
“Maybe it is just to see fresh faces and stuff pushing the thing on again and upping the stakes for competition for places inside there. They are mad hungry to get in, to get a starting jersey for themselves.
“You are coming in on the back of an All Ireland semi final loss compared to being reigning All Ireland champions going into games.
“So we are just going to go out, people maybe had an eye on us as being a team to beat coming into last year's League and Championship.
“This year we are slightly under the radar, eyes and focus aren't on us as much. So it is a small bit different definitely, but we are just going to keep the heads down, stay working hard, to try to get good performances in order to get results.
“We are still League and Munster champions and we would be hoping to retain those two titles.”
Joey Holden and Tom Morrissey following the 2019 All Ireland SHC Semi-Final at Croke Park.
Such a sense of ambition and desire has served Limerick well under John Kiely’s stewardship. Donal O’Grady’s addition as a selector and Mikey Kiely overseeing the strength and conditioning has brought some new voices.
“Definitely, just to get new lads who are at the top of their game,” Morrissey replies about the changes. “You have Donal O'Grady coming in, he isn't too long finished with Limerick hurling himself and he knows the game so well.
“He is well respected, some of us got to play with him and other lads were looking up to him when they were coming up through the Academy with Limerick.
“It is great to get advice off him at training every evening and after matches. Then you have Mikey Kiely, who came in as S and C to replace Joe O'Connor.
“A lot of us had worked with Mikey through the Academy and Under 21s teams in Limerick. We know he is well capable and a top, top guy in that field. That maybe fresh voice is always nice to get.”
Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League opener against Tipperary ultimately concluded in a morale boosting victory at Semple Stadium. Galway are next on the agenda with matches arriving thick and fast. Initially, though, it didn’t look good for Limerick in Thurles. “No, definitely not,” Morrissey states.
“I think starting any campaign off you want to get off to a winning start. So I think it was fantastic that we did so.
“Obviously the first half performance was sluggish to say the least. We were well off it. Tipp, to be fair to them, punished us with every chance they got. They turned over a lot of ball, especially in our half back line, midfield, the middle third area and punished it with scores.
The Morrissey brothers, Dan and Tom, celebrate following the 2018 All Ireland SHC Final at Croke Park.
“They were fully deserving of their eight or nine point lead at half-time. It was a game of two halves, we rectified those handling errors and mistakes that we were making and managed to claw it back point by point, and obviously the two goals were huge for us.
“We got them at the right time and in such quick succession. It really put us in the driving seat for the last 15 minutes.” Limerick stayed the distance.
Morrissey emerged as a promising youngster when Limerick’s much heralded Academy system was being launched.
Growing up did the Ahane clubman envisage a day when Limerick would be such a feared and respected outfit on the national stage? “I definitely know going through the Academy we were always competitive and didn't fear playing teams,” Morrissey recalls.
“Did I project that we would have the success that we did at senior? To be honest I cannot say that I did, we hadn't seen it before.
“It wasn't until after our minor and Under 21 campaigns where we were successful in two Under 21 All Irelands that is when we got the real feeling, we were all starting to break on to the senior team.
“That is when the belief kicked in, that we could be successful at senior level. We were lucky enough, I was part of the batch that was the first age group to come through the Academy. It was hugely beneficial for us as a group and that work has continued.
“You can see that in the players that have come through behind us in the age groups below us such as Kyle Hayes.”
Tom Morrissey remains a key figure for Limerick.
How Limerick have maintained the decent standards set provides a source of optimism. “Limerick have got to six or seven Munster minor finals in the last eight, it shows the Academy is continuing to produce a high quality player,” Morrissey adds.
“The players from that will increase the competitiveness and go for starting places when they do come into the senior set-up. That is exactly what we want. Most of them have that experience from playing, often in the curtain raiser to senior games.
“They have that experience from playing in front of big crowds and when they are lucky enough to go to Croke Park which they have done on many occasions in recent years. That is great for a young fella to come into a senior set-up, to have that experience with them.”
Limerick teams being relevant in the Harty Cup and Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup has also aided the green and white cause according to Morrissey.
“That goes back to the Academy and clubs, the work that they are putting in,” Morrissey stresses. “Obviously the success we are having at the minute with the Limerick senior team will continue to inspire young kids to play hurling in the county.
“Then we will continue to see the huge involvement of Limerick players in those competitions at the highest level through schools hurling into colleges hurling.
“Harty Cup is effectively playing county minor, colleges hurling if you are playing Fitzgibbon it is that step or bridge between Under 21 county and senior inter-county.
“So it is brilliant player development wise. To have so many Limerick players involved can only bode well for the future of Limerick senior hurling.” These are exciting and interesting times for Limerick.
