Limerick senior hurlers aren't in transition says Barry Hennessy

FORMER Limerick hurler Barry Hennessy doesn't believe the Shannonsiders are in transition heading into the 2026 season. Hennessy expects John Kiely to use as many players as possible throughout the National Hurling League.

“John Kiely probably played more of the marquee players in the Munster League in the last couple of weeks. The Munster League final would have given him an opportunity to get minutes into the older lads and bringing through a couple of the younger lads as well.

“You will probably see the mix of eight or nine established players along with five or six of the newer guys during the league. I definitely don't think it's a team in transition,” Barry Hennessy told Leader Sport.

“John is going to get as many minutes as possible into as many players as he can and he will put a real emphasis on the league,” added Hennessy.

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The ex-Limerick goalkeeper feels it is a big year for Aidan O'Connor, Colin Coughlan, Cathal O'Neill, Adam English and Shane O'Brien to push on in their inter-county careers.

“I think it's a really big season for Aidan O'Connor, Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Cathal O'Neill and Shane O'Brien. I think Donnacha Ó Dálaigh would like to have more of an impact on this season as well, while there are younger lads that they have in, there is massive potential there.

“I know a lot of these guys would have been looking at some of the older lads that were there in 2018 and 2019 and now they have a chance to come in and play with their heroes.

“I think the younger lads will be in a development phase, but those lads that I mentioned there you would really be expecting them to push on now and really make it their team.”

After suffering a shock defeat to Dublin in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, Hennessy believes the Limerick senior hurling squad will have learned many valuable lessons from that loss.

“They have learned a lot in the last couple of years, the Dublin game was a big learning experience for the group in general collectively for the management and the players. I don't Limerick are as fragile as people make them out to be. There is only a puck of a ball between the all the top teams.

“Any day Limerick go out, it's basically another team’s All-Ireland final with the success that Limerick have had. It's a testament to them that they have coming back to deliver performance after performance,” said Hennessy.

When asked who could potentially win the National Hurling League, the Kilmallock man said it is difficult to single out a clear favourite at this stage.

“That is now like picking the lotto numbers, if you look at the games over the weekend Cork were very impressive, I think teams are really going to put an emphasis on the league this year and try to win silverware and get momentum.”

Barry Hennessy has taken up a coaching role with the Meath senior hurling team. In 2025, the south Limerick native led Smith O'Briens to the Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship.