Early season silverware on offer as Limerick and Clare renew their hurling rivalry

LIMERICK and Clare renew rivalries in next weekend's final of the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling Cup.

It will be the first of at least three competitive fixtures between the Shannonside rivals this season - they meet in the Allianz League (March 6) and Munster SHC (May 8).

Both those games are in Cusack Park in Ennis and it's possible it could be three ventures out the M18 for the men in green with Sunday at 2pm in Ennis one fixture under consideration for the 2022 Munster Hurling Cup decider.

Limerick and Clare also met in this final in 2018 and 2016 - both games were in Limerick with the home side winners in 2018 and Clare taking the honours two years previous.

John Kiely’s Limerick will be chasing a third Munster Cup title across his six seasons as manager.

The three time All-Ireland SHC winning manager insists the early season provincial competition has played an important role for his side.

“We have always entered the Munster League and always found that we have got something out of it and that it has been a positive experience,” said the Limerick manager.

John Kiely and selectors used six players in the 30-point win over Kerry that weren’t part of the All-Ireland winning panel last August – debuts for Rory Duff, Adam English and Patrick O’Donovan as well as inter-county recalls for Paddy O’Loughlin, David McCarthy and Oisin O’Reilly.

”Today again getting the likes of Patrick O’Donovan and Adam (English) in and getting Oisin (O’Reilly) back on the field and game time into lads who might not have got a lot of game time last year - that’s really important from their perspective in terms of development and confidence. We got to try and build their confidence levels and it is only outside on the pitch that you will do that. Young Rory Duff in midfield has been out of the inter-county scene now for a couple of years and coming back in after a good campaign with Mungret. It’s important from a confidence perspective to get a bit of game time. It drives them on for the subsequent weeks in training,” outlined John Kiely.

He added: “It is always great to get some new young lads in and to get some game time under their belt gives them a sense or taste of it”.

Kiely confirmed he is planning without three players at present due to injury.

“Barry Murphy and Peter Casey are long term injuries. Mike Casey isn’t as long and he should be back some time at the end of February - he is working well and is in great nick and great form. He is looking to work really hard over the next six weeks to get himself ready for selection possibly towards the end of February or March.”