Limerick minors face stiff test in Munster Hurling Opener

The Limerick Minor Hurlers travel to Thurles to take on All-Ireland champions Tipperary in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Championship Quarter Final at Semple Stadium. Limerick will be keen to gain revenge on the side that beat them in both the Munster and All-Ireland Championship finals last year. Indeed, Tipperary beat Limerick in the Munster Final in 2015 as well.

Limerick have confirmed their 38-strong minor hurling squad for the 2017 championship which includes 11 survivors from the 2016 squad who were beaten in the All-Ireland Final. Eight members of the panel were part of the St John the Baptist side who won the All-Ireland Post Primary School Senior Hurling B Title.

Monaleen’s Conor Nicholas will serve as captain, while Na Piarsaigh’s Jerome Boylan and Bruff’s Paul O’Riordan were named as vice-captain’s. Manager John Mulqueen, has said that despite the disruption of the Schools final, preparations have gone well and his looking forward to the game this Wednesday which has a 7 o clock throw in time.

”We were trying to manage that and it has worked very well,” ”Trying to juggle the numbers have been a bit of a challenge at times but training has been going very well,”

The minor panel will hope to continue the great work done at this level by Limerick over the last number of years. Limerick were victorious in Munster in 2013 and 2014, narrowly losing to Kilkenny in the 2014 All-Ireland decider.

These minors will only have to look at the current Senior Hurling panel too see how many have progressed from minor ranks in the past couple of seasons to the senior set-up. Last years minor captain Kyle Hayes has featured predominately for Limerick so far in 2017

Limerick Minor Hurling Panel 2017: Gearoid Barry (Kilmallock), Kevin Bonar (Bruff), Jerome Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Ciaran Barry (Ahane), Damien Burke (Dromcollogher/Broadford), David Browne (Bruff), William Brennan (Ahane), Ken Byrnes (Old Christians), Calvin Carroll (Patrickswell), Ronan Conolly (Adare), Brian Curtin (Adare), Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls), Liam English (Kilmallock), Andrew Finn (Kilmallock), Jason Fitzgibbon (Cappamore), Conor Flahive (Mungret St Pauls), Jason Gillane (Patrickswell), Liam Griffin (Kildimo/Pallaskenery), Daithi Heffernan (Mallow,Cork), Conor Hellewell (Mungret St Pauls), David Moloney (Monaleen), Paudie Maher (Patrickswell), Eoin Sheehan (Garryspillane), Dan Minihan (Ahane), Conor Nicholas (Monaleen), Shane Normoyle (Monagea), Mikey O’Brien (Doon), Paul O’Brien (Mungret St Pauls), Brian O’Grady (Kilteely/Dromkeen), Michael O’Grady (Knockainey), Sean O’Leary (Dromin/Athlacca), Paul O’Riordan (Bruff), Dylan O’Shea (Garryspillane), Jack Ryan (Doon), Padraic Ryan (Doon), Ryan Tobin (Garryspillane), Sean Teefy (Ballybricken/Bohermore), David Woulfe (Kilmallock).

Management Team:
Manager: John Mulqueen (Bruff), Coach: Anthony Daly (Clarecastle, Clare), Selectors: Liam Reale, Damien Reale (both Hospital Herberstown, Liam Lyons (Monaleen), Strength & Conditioning Coach: Darragh Droog (Mungret St Pauls)