Shane O'Brien: Limerick 'will try and rectify' All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cork

LIMERICK senior hurler Shane O'Brien feels that last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cork is a motivating force for John Kiely's side heading into the 2025 season. 

"It's something players will tap into in the next few months. There was huge disappointment in the dressing room just from our own performance. We were clearly beaten by a better Cork team on the day. It's something that we will try and rectify in the next few months. Hopefully come back and go a few steps further than last year" said O'Brien. 

John Kiely handed out his first competitive start to Shane O'Brien in the 2024 Munster final. 

"You have a fair idea the week beforehand with how training is going. You kind of be grouped in the same line with the likes of Aaron [Gillane] and David [Reidy] the week before the match. I actually found out officially the same as everyone else over the phone.

"It's exciting to think of big day like that, you'd be involved in it. When you're watching the lads for the last four or five years playing those Munster finals from a younger age. It's surreal that you are now going to be playing in them yourself with those same fella's."

The Kilmallock man went onto to score 0-2 in Limerick's 1-26 to 1-20 Munster final victory over Clare. O'Brien went on to receive a lot of plaudits for his performance in the Munster final.

"It's important to keep your feet on the ground but you're involved in a group of such high profile players that they are dealing with that every week. You're brought down to earth very quickly when you go back into training. There's no egos in the panel, it's same as the week before really. It doesn't matter, it's just next game that the focus switches too". 

The 20-year-old is part of this year's Mary Immaculate College Fitzgibbon Cup alongside inter-county teammates Vince Harrington, Cian Scully, Oisin O'Farrell and William Dore. Mary I get their Fitzgibbon Cup campaign underway against ATU Galway on January 15 at 7pm in Galway. 

O'Brien is one the many players juggling inter-county and college commitments in January.

"It's definitely a lot easier that pre-season [competitions] isn't there. We can dedicate more time to the college as well as training with Limerick and challenge games that we might have as well.

"I think it's probably freed up a small bit of space in the January and February calendar. It's a really hectic time of year because you're trying to get as much as you can with Limerick done and get the fitness up as well as playing games with the college."