John Kiely insists Limerick want to keep Mick Mackey Cup

LIMERICK senior hurling manager John Kiely says it a ‘remarkable’ that the team is chasing an unprecedented seventh consecutive Munster championship title.Kiely is yet to suffer a defeat as Limerick hurling manager in a Munster final.

“It is remarkable, there's no doubt about that and unprecedented in Limerick. Listen, what can we say only that we are really thrilled with the way the guys have kept their motivation levels so high and have worked so hard to put themselves in these positions.”

The Limerick manager has reported a fully fit squad ahead of this Saturday's Munster final with Cork.

“We're fortunate at the minute, touch wood, that we are in good shape physically and all the lads are fit, healthy and well. There's always a risk that you are going to lose somebody at some point. The group is strong, if it happens it happens, we've plenty more guys that will step up,” said Limerick hurling manager John Kiely at a media event ahead of this weekend's Munster SHC final.

The Galbally native said any focus on what happened in the Munster round-robin series is now irrelevant .

“It's a Munster final, it's here in the Gaelic Grounds. It's Cork coming again, what happened in the round robin is irrelevant. This is a whole different scenario, we have to embrace this occasion and we want to keep the Mackey Cup - that's the bottom line.”

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The Shannonsiders finished top of the Munster SHC round robin series and Kiely's side have secured their place in the upcoming All-Ireland series.

“It's your first and primary goal with the Munster championship, just to get out of it. Position one, two or three it doesn't matter, get out first and foremost for all of us in the management side, that's the first box ticked if you can get out.

“You don't want to finish your hurling in May, it's just too early. The other side of it then you'd love to push on then from there and that's where we are at right now we just want to push on to see if we can get as much out of the season as we possibly can,” added Kiely.

The five-time All-Ireland winning manager feels that Saturday will be a special occasion.

“It's the showcase sporting event for Munster, as somebody who loves the game of hurling the Munster final is a really special occasion and has always been right throughout my lifetime.

“Everybody wants to be part of it when you're an inter-county hurler so I'm delighted for the lads that they have another chance to participate in this year's final. We just really want to be at our best if we can because it's a day you want to be at your best.”