Limerick manager John Kiely praises Nickie Quaid's comeback from ACL injury

LIMERICK goalkeeper Nickie Quaid made his return to competitive action just five months after picking an ACL injury. On Novemeber 17, Quaid picked up an ACL injury  when he was playing soccer with his clubmates during the off-season. 

On Sunday afternoon, the Effin clubman lined out in goals in Limerick's draw with Tipperary in round one of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. 

“So when he's able to play in-house games and do everything that he would have been doing all along, it had to be considered. Just delighted he got through it, it'll be a huge confidence builder for him. You can't replicate a championship match in training. So this'll be a huge, huge plus for him and something that he can build on. He’s back now and that’s it," said Limerick senior hurling manager John Kiely. 

Kiely confirmed that the Limerick shotstopper had been back training in the last three weeks and he also went onto to praise the group for not leaking the news of Nickie Quaid's return. 

"There's great unity and togetherness in our group. This is a reflection of that. We've 62 people involved. They all have families, partners, work colleagues, and friends. I take my hat off to everybody involved."

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Kiely made some interesting positional changes on his starting XV pushing Kyle Hayes into the Limerick attack.

"There's no particular rationale for it as such. You're trying to maximise the group that you have and what you can get out of them. And I thought he contributed hugely to our front six in terms of puck-out options, in terms of his work-rate, in terms of line breaks, in terms of his assists, rucks. There's a whole number of areas that you'll say, it was a huge, huge plus."

The Limerick manager was pleased with his side's resilience on Sunday afternoon in Semple Stadium.

"A couple of aspects we'll be disappointed with. We conceded two goals that we won't be happy with, that'll make difficult viewing during the week for us. But I think our resilience and our calmness, we really stuck to the process today. We would have liked to have gotten two points, but really happy that we got one," added Kiely.

The Shannonsiders will be back out in action against Waterford on May 3 at 6pm in Walsh Park. The six-time Munster Championship winning manager feels his side can benefit from the two week break.

"It's a benefit of course it is, we have to make use of it aswell from the point of view of number one being able to review accurately, number two recovery and number three planning and preparation for the next day. Energy and recovery are huge parts of this, when you get an opportunity you have to take it."