Declan Hannon says Darragh O'Donovan is 'huge loss' to Limerick senior hurlers

LIMERICK's most successful hurling captain Declan Hannon says mid-fielder Darragh O'Donovan is a huge loss to the side as he is set to miss the first to games of the Munster Championship, including Clare in the opening game against them in two weeks time. 

Speaking at the launch of the Eir GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in Croke Park today, Monday, Declan stated: "We have been fairly unlucky the last number of years picking up injuries and now Darragh O'Donovan is gone as well, which is a huge shame. I think he is a highly underrated player and he will try his level best to get back for the latter stages of the championship. We just have to preform as best we can now with the players in the squad that are fit and ready to go."

Hannon himself has only returned to the Limerick team for the first time this year in the Allianz League fixture away to Galway after being out injured since the 2023 Munster final.

Declan went on to say: "Training has been going well and touch wood I can stay injury free over the next number of weeks to try and put myself into a position to be considered for a match-day squad. I want to impact the game as much as I can when I'm playing for the group of players and for Limerick as well.

Limerick will travel to Ennis on Sunday, April 21 to take on Clare in the opening round of the Munster Championship. 

The in form Banner team will be going into this years championship with the 2024 Allianz Hurling League title under their belt after beating Kilkenny, 3-16 to 1-20 in Semple Stadium over the weekend. 

The Adare man continued by saying "When you were younger looking at the television and looking at Munster Championship games and full houses at Cusack Park, it's where you want to be when you get older then and now we have an opportunity to that.

"We are really excited to get up the road and obviously Clare are the in form team at the moment, and they showed that throughout the league this year they have been seriously consistent and performing to a high standard. It's going to be a massive task for us to go to Ennis and try and get a result, but it's one we are going to try and enjoy as well."

Limerick face Clare in Ennis on Sunday, April 21 with throw-in at 2pm.