Limerick senior camogie manager Joe Quaid: "We want to play and test ourselves against the best"

LIMERICK senior camogie manager Joe Quaid says it is important for his side to test themselves against the best.
The Shannonsiders’ begin their All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship group campaign against champions Cork on Saturday, May 24.

Limerick were defeated by Tipperary 4-13 to 0-10 in the Munster Senior Camogie Championship quarter-final at FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles last Sunday.

“There was a bit of discussion around this year before we got back, whether would be better off intermediate or not? I rang a couple of the girls, the more seasoned campaigners.

“Their attitude was ‘no, we want to play and test ourselves against the best’ and how do you get better, you play the best,” said Joe Quaid.

READ NEXT: WATCH: Limerick camogie manager Joe Quaid: "We'll take plenty of learnings from today"

Manager Joe Quaid is expecting a tough battle against All-Ireland champions Cork.

“We're going out against the All-Ireland champions, we're under no illusions that's going to be a tough day. We'll get huge learnings from it.”

Limerick have been drawn alongside Cork, Tipperary, Clare and Wexford in Group One of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship.

“We're facing in then the following week to Wexford and seven days later to Clare. Wexford, Clare and ourselves, one of those teams is going to be in All-Ireland quarter-final as a curtain-raiser to an All-Ireland hurling semi-final.

“That's some carrot for any of those three teams. I'm not saying Tipp and Cork will beat all of us, but if you're going on form, that's what you are looking at,” added Quaid.

“We have a really young panel, a really united panel. I couldn't be prouder walking off that pitch with the effort they gave.”

Despite last Sunday's defeat, Quaid's side has shown signs of progress. Last year Limerick suffered a 33-point defeat to Tipp, while this year they were defeated by 15 points.

Quaid made the decision on Sunday to deploy the experienced Caoimhe Costelloe as a sweeper.

“You never progress in the Championship, if you're playing one way and we decided to play Caoimhe as a sweeper. It worked at times and at times it didn't. We pushed her on a bit at the end,” Joe Quaid explained.

The Limerick manager is concerned by his side conceding goals early on in games.

“The one worrying thing probably all year is we've been conceding early goals. That's something, we will really sit down and work on. The girls are so willing to learn, they're their own biggest critics and the last couple of weeks especially the intensity they have brought to training has been phenomenal.”

Quaid was proud of his team's effort against Tipp.

“I only asked them before the match to go out and try to be the best version of themselves that they could be. And I think every single one of them put in a massive effort and did everything they could to do that.”

Tipperary face Waterford in the Munster semi-final with the winner meeting All-Ireland champions Cork in the Munster final.