Munster Senior Hurling Championship but not as we know it

In many ways it was business as usual for John Kiely’s Limerick senior hurling side a strong second half performance saw them to a comfortable, in the end, victory over rivals Clare at Semple Stadium.

However, it was not Munster Championship hurling as we know it. The reality is that all of what we have known in the past was largely diluted.

Yes, we are living in the strangest of times, but there has to be an admission that a championship without fans is not what the doctor ordered. 

Sport has suffered during the pandemic, but there is a huge comfort that we have our national sports taking place. I, for one, am eternally grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to take my seat at Semple Stadium. One of the lucky few.

Hopefully, the virus will subside over the coming weeks and a small sprinkling of supporters will be able to attend as the Championship reaches its closing stages. For now, we must be thankful for what we have, even in its diluted current guise.

On the field, Limerick did what they had to do in landing the league title and a spot against Tipperary in the Munster semi-final this weekend. Tony Kelly’s virtuoso performance kept Clare in the contest but Limerick’s intensity eventually shot down all The Banner had to offer.

Kelly’s performance was something to behold. The 17 point scoring haul kept Clare in the hunt for a lot longer than most would have expected. Despite the impressive second half, John Kiely will have plenty of ammo to fire at his charges heading into Sunday’s game. 

The rustiness was there for all to see in the opening half. It needed to be addressed at half time and Limerick came out with all guns blazing. Ryan Taylor’s goal gave Clare hope, but that’s all it was. A glimmer. 

Limerick upped the pace. The well-oiled machine in full flow for an abundance of second half scores that put the game to bed long before Fergal Horgan put Clare out of their misery 

Plenty to work on will be the motto throughout the week for Kiely and his backroom team. The rearranging of chairs in front of Nickie Quaid may need more tweaking.

Barry Nash will certainly be all the better for 70 odd minutes at Championship level in a completely new position.

Dan Morrissery will also have exercised a couple of demons from the last time he wore the number three jersey at Semple Stadium. The half back line of Hannon, Byrnes and O’Loughlin were also not at their rock solid best.

The video playback will show plenty of learnings, but there are plenty of positives to take into the game against the current All-Ireland champions too.

Gearoid Hegarty, more than anyone else, hit the headiest of heights. We all know that the colossus can pick off points from almost anywhere on the pitch.

However, it was his all round game that again caught the eye. The superlative, out of the back of the hand, handpass to Peter Casey for a stunning first half score was the cherry on top.

Limerick in full flow are a sight to behold. We got glimpses of it throughout the second half and a record scoring haul of 0-36 for a Munster Championship game tells its own story.

The beauty for all Limerick fans is that it genuinely seems that there is more to come from this group of players. The next test is against the reigning All-Ireland champions. A mouth-watering prospect.