SEÁN Finn for the injured Mike Casey in defence is the sole Limerick change for Sunday’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship tussle with Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds (4pm).
It is believed that Casey’s leg injury will sideline the Na Piarsaigh ace for between four and six weeks, leaving him out of contention until a possible appearance at home to Waterford on May 25, at the earliest.
Limerick have been installed as major favourites to collect their second win on the trot.
Munster GAA anticipate an attendance in the region of 35,000 for Sunday’s outing.
On this weekend’s appetising encounter at the Ennis Road venue, in his RTÉ online preview Dónal Óg Cusack said that the “Treaty never seem to lose touch with their real selves when it matters”.
“Every year, at this time, Tipperary are asked who their real selves actually are. They lost all four games in Munster in 2022. Last year they were on the brink of reaching the Munster final when they handed Waterford their only win of the summer.
“They recovered to put 7-38 past Offaly in Tullamore but then their summer just fizzled out in the quarters. What we will get from Tipp this Sunday is anybody’s guess.”
In conclusion, the Cork great said: “Limerick though, will be no mystery. Their last two competitive games have seen them lose a league semi-final to Kilkenny and needing a Houdini escape against Clare. John Kiely will be expecting a proper performance – hurling nation expects the same.”
Limerick: Nickie Quaid (Effin); Seán Finn (Bruff), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Barry Nash (South Liberties); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Declan Hannon, captain, (Adare), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry); William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), Cathal O’Neill (Crecora/Manister); Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca), Tom Morrissey (Ahane); Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
Substitutes: David McCarthy (Glenroe), Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown), Adam English (Doon), Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock), Barry Murphy (Doon), Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), Fergal O’Connor (Effin), Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen), Mark Quinlan (Garryspillane).
