Hurler of the year Byrnes set to miss Limerick's league start

LIMERICK star Diarmaid Byrnes is likely to miss a large part of the early season after manager John Kiely confirmed that he is currently away on a 'pre-arranged' trip.

The Patrickswell man was not part of the panel for Limerick's Munster Hurling League clash with Cork last weekend and won't be available for their fixture with Kerry on Sunday. 

He is also due to miss several of Limerick's Allianz Hurling League games due to travels. It's an absence that the Limerick manager is fully behind.

"Diarmaid is away for a while and hopefully we will see him in a few weeks time again. That’s all pre-arranged. These guys have to live their lives as well. We don’t own them. Hurling is a pass time for these guys, not a profession.

"He is gone for a short little while but will be back again. We had other guys go away before Christmas as well. We have to have a very open mind to that side of fellas' lives.

"You can’t inhibit them from having life experiences outside of hurling. All the more important for us to have other experiences outside of hurling and when they come back to us they come back all the fresher and all the happier.

"That’s really important for me, that these boys would have great lives outside of hurling as well." 

Limerick play Kerry this Sunday at Austin Stack Park, Tralee at 1pm in their last Munster Hurling League game. Kiely's men then get their Allianz Hurling League campaign underway against Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on February 4.