Justin McCarthy faces an injury crisis ahead of Offaly clash
JUSTIN McCarthy is faced with an injury crisis ahead of Saturday's make-or-break All-Ireland Hurling Qualifier against Offaly.
McCarthy and his management team are already faced with making two changes from the side that lost to Cork in the Munster championship due to the emigration of Paudie McNamara and suspension of Sean Herlihy. Added to the absence of the two wing-forwards is a growing list of injuries.
Limerick played two challenge games in the past week against the county under-21 side and Clare and a number of key players were marked absent. Among those facing a race against time to prove their fitness are full-back David Breen, wing-back Sean O'Riordan and full-forward Anthony Owens.
Des Kenny and David Lynch, who were regulars in the full-back line during the National Hurling League, are also carrying injuries and rated as doubtful.
Limerick will have to travel to Tullamore for Saturday's tie which will take place at 7pm - the game won't be shown live on TV. O'Connor Park in Tullamore will host a double-header with the Offaly footballers taking on Waterford at 5pm.
If Limerick progress past Offaly they would be back in action the following weekend against either Tipperary or Antrim. Saturday's clash in the midlands will be the first championship meeting of the sides since July 12, 2008 in the Gaelic Grounds. The Faithful County were ten-point winners on that most disappointing occasion.
Offaly's Joe Bergin hit a hat-trick of goals as they were 3-19 to 0-18 winners on an evening that saw Limerick booed from the field by the home support.
This season they sides met in the National Hurling League. The round five tie took place in O'Connor Park in Tullamore and in what was Limerick's best performance of the campaign, Offaly emerged 2-17 to 3-13 winners.
Meanwhile the Limerick senior footballers now have to re-group after the heartbreak of last Sunday's Munster final defeat to Kerry. Speaking after the 1-17 to 1-14 loss in Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, Limerick manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan said that the next target was the All-Ireland Qualifiers: "This year we hope to regroup".
Limerick will be back in action on Saturday, July 24, but will have to wait two weeks to find out who their opponents will be. The list of potential opponents reads: Dublin, Armagh, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Down, Fermanagh, Derry, Cavan, Kildare, Wexford, Leitrim, Tipperary, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.
That list of 16 will face two rounds of action before Limerick enter the equation.
"Every other year in Limerick they don't take the qualifiers seriously, but I think this group of lads know that they are serious operators - this is not just a fluke.
"They are well organised, they are a serious outfit, with a strong character and they are yet to realise their potential and they will make the break through - it's only a matter of time," said Mickey Ned O'Sullivan.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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