Limerick and Clare eye early season silverware in sell-out Munster Hurling Cup final

AN early season Shannonside derby this Sunday afternoon as Limerick and Clare meet in the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling Cup final.

The 2pm fixture in Cusack Park in Ennis is an 8,000 sell-out with no tickets on sale at the ground.

The game is being streamed live by Munster GAA and available to purchase for €10 here

This Sunday will be the first of three trips this season to Cusack Park to play in senior hurling with a Sunday March 6 tie in round four of the Allianz League and a Sunday May 8 tie in Limerick's third game of the Munster SHC.

Today's final will be Limerick final run-out before attention turns to the Allianz Hurling League with a February 6 tie away to Wexford. 

Limerick manager John Kiely has made three changes to his team from the semi final win over Kerry - details here

“There are obviously tougher challenges coming down the road very shortly,” said Limerick manager John Kiely after beating Kerry to reach Sunday’s final with Clare.

Limerick introduced six new members of their panel in the win over The Kingdom with just one of the All-Ireland final team in the starting line-up.

”These games are very important for these lads because they are opportunities to lay down a marker to say listen you can't leave me out of the team the next day so that's really important,” stressed Kiely.

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“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. There will be bigger and more intensive battles ahead and it is up to them to fight hard and try and get themselves included in those,” said the manager of his newcomers, which included debuts for Rory Duff, Adam English and Patrick O’Donovan and recalls for David McCarthy, Oisin O’Reilly and Paddy O’Loughlin.

On Sunday, Limerick play Clare for the first time since October 2020 in a game that doubled as the Munster SHC and Allianz League final.

Clare defeated Waterford to reach today's decider.

“They were very impressive. A huge scoreline and there were two good teams out and they were very very strong. A huge battle ahead of us next week I am sure,” said Kiely of Clare.

Limerick are trying to win the Munster Hurling Cup for the third time under Kiely.

”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,” he said.

Ahead of the start of the Allianz League in Wexford on February 6, Kiely stressed the importance of giving game time to newcomers.

“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. It’s important from a confidence perspective to get a bit of game time. It drives them on for the subsequent weeks in training.”