The hurling minnows have been promoted to play in the All-Ireland championship this season and they got an early season tonic when defeating Limerick 2-13 to 1-13 last Saturday night in the Gaelic Grounds.
The defeat has brought to the surface the stark reality that could await the new-look Limerick team in 2010.
Against Carlow Justin McCarthy and selectors Brian Ryan, Liam Garvey and John Tuohy fielded 10 of the team which played UCC in the Waterford Crystal Cup.
The team was still short 2009 panel members Bryan O'Sullivan, Paul Browne and Dave Moloney - the trio will come into contention for the start of the National Hurling League on February 21, as will further players from South Liberties and Blackrock.
Also in the past week IT Tralee provided the opposition for another challenge game which Limerick won by three points.
A fifth challenge game of the new season is planned for this weekend with Kerry the opponents.
The surprise loss to Carlow and the moves by clubs in the west division could mean that the divisive hurling issue could be a topic for discussion at next Tuesday's February County Board meeting in the Claughaun GAA Clubhouse.
There was wholesale surprise when the stand-off between the 12 withdrawn hurlers and management was not discussed at the January County Board meeting.
The lack of discussion was all the more surprising given that the meeting came within 24 hours of a 1,700 word statement which was signed by 24 members of the 2009 panel.
In the past week members of the 2009 panel have again reiterated their stance that they will not be returning to the Limerick senior hurling panel as long as manager Justin McCarthy remains in charge.
At a West Board meeting on January 25, Tom Sheehy of Knockaderry proposed that officers of the board address the issue which has dogged Limerick GAA for over three months.
Within days, chairman Pat O'Donnell (Feohanagh-Castlemahon) and secretary Seamus McNamara (Fr. Casey's) met with the five players concerned from clubs within the west Limerick division.
The 2009 captain Mark Foley and his Adare team-mates Donncha Sheehan and Wayne McNamara, Donal O'Grady of Granagh-Ballingarry and Tom Condon of Knockaderry met with the two divisional board officials in the Rathkeale House Hotel.
This Monday night the two officers reported back to another meeting of the West Board in the Devon Inn.
The minutes of the meeting between the five hurlers and the officials was read out to over 40 delegates of the clubs.
As well as reaffirming their stance to stay away from the inter-county scene while McCarthy remains in charge the players also gave detailed accounts of their difficulties with the management of the panel last season.
The meeting was told of poor communication, stale training sessions and of how management changed the tactics for the All-Ireland semi-final just 24 hours before the heavy defeat to Tipperary.
While no discussion took place after the minutes of the player's meeting was read to the gathering, the West Board will meet again next Monday and there could be a request for the divisional officers to read those minutes at the February County Board meeting in Claughaun.