Limerick hurling manager John Kiely predicts 'exceptionally tight' Munster championship

LIMERICK senior hurling manager John Kiely is predicting another extremely competitive round robin phase of the Munster championship over the coming weeks.

Munster and Ireland champions Limerick begin the defence of their title with an eagerly-awaited round robin clash with great rivals Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis this Sunday, 2pm.

The battle for prized top three places in Munster after the round robin phase of the championship will also see Limerick host Tipperary at the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday, April 28, 4pm, before travelling to SuperValu, Páirc Uí Chaoimh to take on Cork on May 11, 7pm, and then completing their round robin games against Waterford at TUS Gaelic Grounds on May 26 at 4pm.

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Munster senior hurling championship in Cahir, John Kiely is expecting the round robin games to be ‘really, really tight and unpredictable’.

“It'll be exceptionally tight again. Exceptionally tight. I don't know how many games there have been in total but I'd imagine that 75% of those games have been decided by a margin of three points or less. I think it'll be really, really tight and very unpredictable. It'll be great,” Limerick boss Kiely said.

“Of course, everybody wants to come out of it and everybody wants to be successful. But knowing you're going into something as competitive as that has a great appeal to it as well because you know you're going to be put to the pin of your collar.”