Seven players opt out of the Limerick senior football panel for 2022 season

SEVEN of the 2021 Limerick senior football panel have opted out for the season ahead.

The Limerick Leader understands that a variety of different reasons mean the seven players won't be involved for 2022.

Towering midfielder Tommie Childs and top scorer Danny Neville both started in the 2021 championship.

Long serving Seamus O'Carroll, Padraig Scanlon and David Connolly also have championship experience in recent seasons, while completing the list of those opting out are Gerard Stack and Cormac Roche.

Neville's loss is known since last Summer when he moved abroad to work. The Ballysteen forward has been a leading scorer for Limerick since his debut in 2014 as an U21.

However, the loss of the other six players is a blow to manager Billy Lee and his selectors as they set about confirming their panel for 2022.

Tommie Childs has established himself as a midfield regular since his debut in 2016 and maintained his fine form with his club Galtee Gaels as they reached a historic semi final in the Limerick SFC in recent months.

Another departing is Seamus O'Carroll. The former Cappagh clubman is now based in Dublin and was the longest serving inter-county footballer in the Limerick camp. O'Carroll played in the 2010 Munster SFC final with Limerick. After three years absence he returned in 2017 and was a regular in the forward unit since, while playing with Castleknock in the Dublin SFC.

Glin's Padraig Scanlon and Gerald Griffins Gerard Stack are also forwards - Scanlon made his debut in 2017, while Stack's debut was in 2020.

Defender David Connolly (Adare) made his championship debut in 2018, while the seventh player departing is Cormac Roche, who joined the panel last season after fine displays for his club side Fr Caseys.

Limerick begin their 2022 campaign with two McGrath Cups games in five days - against Kerry in Tralee on Wednesday January 5 and against Tipperary in Mick Neville Park on Sunday January 9.