Five Things We Learned | Places up for grabs as Limerick suffer second League loss

Limerick were made to pay for their indiscipline on Saturday evening as they fell to Galway.

Seven unanswered down the stretch helped Galway see off the challenge of Limerick in the second round of the National Hurling League on Saturday night.

The 0-27 to 1-18 scoreline did flatter the Tribesmen a bit as they took full advantage of their extra man in the second half with Gearoid Hegarty sent off.

That is two losses from two for the All-Ireland champions who will not be pressing panic buttons as of yet as they get a down week before Cork come to the Gaelic Grounds on February 27.

Below are five things we learned after the Galway defeat.

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Cathal O’Neill living up to the hype

It is far from hyperbole to suggest that Cathal O’Neill is the most hyped underage player to come out of Limerick since the turn of the century. Cian Lynch was well touted as was Kyle Hayes but with the ever increasing technology at our disposal O’Neill has been scouted well before his breakthrough.

A two time Minor All-Star, he was called into the Limerick senior team as a teenager for last year’s All-Ireland winning campaign. But his debut to Galway didn’t go to plan as the Crecora Manister attacker couldn’t influence proceedings in the corner.

But, twelve months on, against the same opposition, O’Neill showed the country what he is all about. Far more comfortable out the field, the youngster knocked over four exceptional points, each as good as the next. There is still plenty to learn but with time, Limerick could have their next superstar.

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Corner forward berth still up for grabs

There is no doubting Limerick’s exceptional strength in depth with at least a pair of All-Stars guaranteed to miss out on the XV every week. But one area that will be a concern is the inside forward line with two frontline options out with injury.

Peter Casey was in scintillating form last season in earning a first All-Star. But after tearing his ACL in the first half of the All-Ireland final, there is a chance that Limerick will have to do without the Na Piarsaigh man this year. Barry Murphy returned to the fold last year and made an appearance in the win over Cork in Croke Park. But for Doon, he suffered the same fate as Casey.

In the Munster Hurling Cup, Oisin O’Reilly, Pat Ryan and Darren O’Connell took up the mantle in the inside forward line well as Seamus Flanagan and Aaron Gillane were rested. But for the first two league games, both were reinstalled alongside Pat Ryan. Ryan hasn’t been able to get going while O’Reilly and O’Connell haven’t been afforded the time to impress.

Graeme Mulcahy is back in contention after Kilmallock’s Munster campaign while Adam English has shown glimpses in his rookie season.

Flanagan and Gillane are nailed on to start against Cork in April but who will join them remains the question.

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Indiscipline proves costly

Last year, against Waterford, Limerick suffered a second successive loss after losing a man to a red card. The same happened on Saturday night as Gearoid Hegarty saw red. By the letter of the law, the St Pats man deserved to see red but he was far from the instigator with a pair of Ggalway players first having a go at the 2020 HOTY.

Nonetheless, the reaction will spark talks of early 2021 when Limerick’s ‘edge’ was called into question. The red cards to Seamus Flanagan and Kyle Hayes seemed to refocus Limerick last year and it is hopeful that the same will apply this year with the Shannonsiders struggling late on with Galway’s numerical advantage.

The Limerick side, who had improved so much from round one in the first half, simply ran out of legs down the stretch as Galway took full control with seven on the trot.

And this could be a template that others follow with Limerick’s dominance making them the most targeted team in Ireland.

Every great team plays on the edge but when that line is crossed, it allows for others to capitalise as Galway showed.

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2021 starting to repeat itself

Limerick strolled to victory in the 2020 All-Ireland final, putting Waterford to the sword with an eleven point win as they pulled up late on. Their first match after was a lacklustre league opener where they could only draw with Tipp. What followed was successive losses to Galway and Waterford, their first in 23 months. Limerick then had a week’s break before laying down a marker with a 0-33 to 2-19 win over Cork in the Gaelic Grounds.

Kiely’s men destroyed Cork in the 2021 All-Ireland final but were lacklustre in their next game, a league defeat to Wexford which was followed by a loss to the Tribesmen. The team now have a week off with Cork coming to the TUS Gaelic Grounds on February 27th.

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Here’s hoping for a similar outcome from 2021.

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Cian Lynch effect

Limerick didn’t lose to Wexford and Galway simply because Cian Lynch wasn’t playing, but the absence of the Patrickswell man certainly played its part. Such has been Limericks dominance over the past few years, Lynch’s influence often goes under the radar with everyone else also shining.

But, the two-time Hurler of the Year so often does his best work when things aren’t going Limerick’s way. Last year when all seemed lost against Tipperary, Lynch almost single handily kept Limerick in the game. When Limerick were reduced to 14 against Corkin 2018, Lynch kicked into a new gear, as he also did against Galway earlier that year when promotion was on the line.

At the weekend, when Galway started to rattle off score after score late on, a calming, ball winning presence was needed in the forwards to create something from nothing or win a foul to not only curb the momentum but allow Limerick a free shot at goal. That is Lynch down to a tee but without him Limerick struggled.

His exploits, with NUIG will come to an end this week as he looks for a their Fitzgibbon title. Whether he returns for Cork is unknown but the sight of the red jersey has been known to raise his performance in the past.