Limerick U20 hurlers to start their Munster Championship campaign in Clare

EVAN LOFTUS and his U20 hurling squad open their round robin Munster Championship campaign this Friday, April 5, away to Clare in Sixmilebridge at 7pm.

Loftus and his management announced a 35-man squad at the beginning of February, with a number of them featuring for John Kiely's charges during the spring including Shane O'Brien, Darragh Langan and Donal Coughlan.

Speaking about overlap between U20 and senior teams Evan went on to say “In fairness the senior management have been very accommodating and they have given exposure to the couple of senior lads during the league.

“We have had them on board for a few challenge games which has allowed them to get into the swing of the team and thankfully all has gone well with them.”

This will be Loftus' first year in charge of the U20 team after moving up from the minor hurling team, in which they reached the semi-final of the Munster Championship before losing out to Clare on a scoreline of 2-21 to 2-15.

With games coming thick and fast in this year's championship Evan insists that his team are taking it week by week.

“We are just making sure our side of things are right and that each week we are able to build on the previous performance. A seven day turn around isn't much time to change anything serious so we just want the lads to perform well on every outing.”

Limerick will play Tipperary (April 12) at home before facing a trip to Cork (April 26) and then at home to Waterford (May 10) in their final round robin game of the championship. These games will all be played on Friday evenings.

Panel: Oisin O'Farrell (Askeaton-Kilcornan-Desmonds), Mikey Gavin (Ballybrown), Barry Adams (Ballybrown), Sean Casey (Bruff), Tadgh Boddy (Bruff), Fionn O'Brien (Bruree), Conor Frawley (Bruree), Mikey Fitzgibbon (Cappamore), Mark Riordan (Castletown-Ballyagran), Tomas Lynch (Doon), Donal Coughlan (Doon), Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca), Daniel Scully (Dromin-Athlacca), William Dore (Dromin-Athlacca), Jack Fitzgibbon (Dromin-Athlacca), Shane Fitzgibbon (Dromin-Athlacca), Ryan O'Neill (Effin), Ruiari O'Connor (Feenagh-Kilmeedy), Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane), John English (Garryspillane), Liam Dennehy (Glenroe), Robert O'Farrell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), David Fitzgerald (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Shane O'Brien (Kilmallock), Piece Connery (Kilmallock), Dara Ferland (Monaleen), Joseph Fitzgerald (Monaleen), Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen), Darragh Langan (Monaleen), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Paul's), Mark O'Brien (Mungret St Paul's), Wayne Kearns (Na Piarsaigh), Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh), James Finn (Na Piarsaigh), Con Hayes (Newcastle West).