“Hopefully next week we will get a few of them back into the mix” | John Kiely provides injury update after Salthill victory

There ten starters that were also named in the XV for last July’s All-Ireland final as Limerick dominated Galway for the most part.

Still, without a number of frontline regulars in tow, the Limerick hurlers got the job done in Salthill on Sunday afternoon beating their hosts 0-24 to 0-19 after an interesting affair.

Neither team hit their peak in a game that was far removed from the clashes seen in two of the last three All-Ireland semi-finals.

Nonetheless, John Kiely and co will have been happy with their afternoon’s work as the likes of Barry Nash and William O’Donoghue making their seasonal debuts.

They were two of ten starters that were also named in the XV for last July’s All-Ireland final against Kilkenny as a strong-looking Limerick side dominated the majority of the contest.

Missing from action for the second game running was captain Declan Hannon who suffered a “nasty” hand injury in the first round loss to Cork. Cathal O’Neill and Mike Casey were also absent, the latter falling foul of a knee injury in the Munster Club semi-final in November while Kiely provided an update on the fitness of O’Neill who was ruled out of the knockout stages of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

“We a few lads carrying some knocks, nothing too serious but at the same time, they wouldn’t be able to play today. Hopefully next week we will get a few of them back into the mix again.

“The lads trained this morning, some of them are nearly there but not quite. Cathal (O’Neill) unfortunately missed the closing stages of the Fitzgibbon Cup and we were disappointed for him. He had a bit of a calf tear and we couldn’t take the chance that it would get worse and he could be out for the season. So we couldn’t take the chance. But he’s coming.

“We just have to mind the players and be cognisant of the what they can and cannot do. At times you have to be prudent and say ‘he’s out’ and thats it, just get on with it, as much as you’d like a fella to be available, if they’re not, they’re not.”

Limerick have a bye week now prior to their trip to Mullingar on March 12 with the likes of Hannon and O’Neill certainly in contention to return to the side. However, in their place, Dan Morrissey has stepped up to the plate at centre-back, while Micheal Houlihan has come in for O’Neill.

Shane O’Brien and Donnacha O’Dalaigh once again made scoring contributions in their first season involved with Limerick looking best placed, alongside undefeated Cork, to qualify for the league semi-finals.

Wexford at home the week after Westmeath will see the group stage of the league competition come to a close with the top two into the league semi-finals.

Whether that;’s the goal for Limerick or not remains to be seen with Kiley insisting he hasn’t thought past their upcoming week off.

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