Consistent selection and faith in the staff allow Limerick's new game plan to flourish

Consistency of selection and faith in staff allow Limerick's new plan to flourish

Independent.ie

When Limerick lost to Clare from 11 points in their last round of Munster -robin game to Ennis, denying them a place in the final of Munster, the temptation for John Kiely could have been to twist instead of stick.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-golf/choice-selection-and- faith-in-staff-are-allowing-new-limerick-gameplan-of-s & # 39; bloom-37159640.html

https://www.independent.ie/incoming/article37159197. When Limerick lost 11 points to Clare in their last round of the Munster Championship round robin at Ennis, denying them a place in the Munster final, the temptation for John Kiely could have been to bend instead of stick.

Kiely has, after all, rallied Limerick's strongest team for many years, fueled by Ireland's two victories over the M21 in three years and a series of schools and third-tier titles level that recently enamelled the city and county.

But when they traveled to Netwatch Cullen Park to play Carlow in an All-Ireland Preliminary Quarterfinal, the change was minimal compared to what it could have been after a defeat of this magnitude.

Aaron Gillane, left The starting team against Clare after serving a one-game suspension (against Waterford) for his red card against Cork, was reinstated for Shane Dowling while Sean Finn, replaced by injury after only 13 minutes to Ennis, and Darragh O 'Donovan were "

But otherwise, Kiely and his management team resisted, resisting change to change.

Gillane aside, the only other change in the round robin of the four Munster. matches saw Seamus Hickey moved by Mike Casey to the back after the opening match against Tipperary.

When they went to Thurles to play Kilkenny in the quarterfinals of Ireland 12 days ago, Finn and O 'Donovan were restored and the familiarity strengthened. 19659005] For a team that is making its way up the heights of the game, it's a remarkable level of consistency in the selection, tied with the protagonists of the match – Galway and the opponents of Cork, who are undefeated in their province (and Galway

Very quickly, Kiely identified a team to take Limerick forward and gave them every chance, even when days like Ennis surfaced.A first victory over Kilkenny in 45 years is the fruit of This Faith.

The pace of staff turnover has accelerated over the past two years by Kiely with only seven starters from the last selection of TJ Ryan's team against Clare in 2016. [19659005] With the stability of selection they have enjoyed this year, they have been able to develop and perfect a game plan that former Captain Donal O 'Grady believes will remove the county from its more traditional values.

" C "It's a nice style that they play," said O & # 39; Grady. "Traditionally, Limerick tries to bring the ball around the edge of the square, but now he plays with more method." The movement at the front is amazing, I work with 95fm local radio and we "" When our half-backs get a ball forward, it's something we missed. Is it better coaching? That's where you have to go to get a yard on a defender. It looks really good. Cork plays a similar style, they never stick to the same six positions. "

O & # 39; s observation on the move is confirmed by the recent revelation of Eamonn Cregan as Seamus Flanagan, the rookie rookie of the team, ran 12.8 km (2.8 km at best pace) in the round robin against Cork in early June, an evening when they were reduced to 14 after Gillane's dismissal.

For a match where the ball moves faster and further, it was a phenomenal comeback

Flanagan takes markers from one wing to the other and Limerick garners profits.

"C & Is incredible where he comes from, he had a chance in the league that he probably would not have had if the (Shane) Dowlings and (Kevin) Downes (involved with their club Na Piarsaigh in the final final of the All-Ireland club until the end of March) were in the first half of the season and he takes over.

is incredible, I played against him ( the level of club) two seasons o and he is twice the man now. He really matured, he's very well adapted. For a young player like him, for the management to have that confidence in him … "

With the crowd moving towards a sold-out territory, driven by a renewed interest in Limerick, O & Grady identifies genuine trust on the part of the public.

"What's great to watch Limerick now is that you know what you're going to get. Nine times out of ten, you will get a very good performance, with a little skill and flair. This is what has involved the Limerick audience and take back the tickets.

"Beat Kilkenny on the last day was I do not think it's another excuse that we're too young because we beat the leaders of the hurling."

However, for all their expressive howls, O & # Grady is worried about engaging Cork in a shootout given his propensity to make big profits.

"I'm a bit scared to play them because to beat them, we're going to have to get 25 more points.

" We have to be careful, we're not turning it into a pitching match because that they will turn it on. When we played them in 2014, we talked about them for the week and yet we did not practice what we had planned. "

Irish Independent