John Kiely vows Limerick hurlers 'will be right' for their championship title defence

LIMERICK will be "right" for their All-Ireland and Munster Championship title defence vowed John Kiely.

The manager was speaking after his Limerick hurlers suffer back-to-back Allianz League defeats.

Galway hit the final seven points on Saturday evening to ensure Limerick remain without a win in the 2022 league after two rounds of action.

The Limerick manager admitted his side have much work to do but stressed all focus was on the Munster SHC in April and May.

“This is a journey towards the middle of April. We will embrace that challenge and we will be right for the middle of April,” vowed the Limerick manager after defeat to Henry Shefflin’s Galway.

Limerick also made a sluggish start to the league last season – failing to win any of their opening three games.

“We have been here before. We have the experience of being here before. The lads understand it can be hard when you do come back to get up to where you want to be. At the moment, we are not quite there, so we have to work really, really hard to get back,” outlined Kiely.

“The game will stand to us. It was a big test. Obviously, we came off second best so we know we have got a huge amount to do, but at the same time we know we are improving and we'll always put out faith in the work that we do, and to be fair to the group they are very, very honest. They will take this on the chin. They are extremely disappointed in there, but they will respond to it next week and they'll go after those improvements this week.”

He continued: “We got an improvement, some improvement. We worked hard this week. Attitude and focus was much, much better this week than what was on show last Sunday. But we still have so much to do. When you see the last quarter there, you realise how much work we actually have to do. We'll knuckle down to it,” said Kiely.

In round three Cork come to town on February 27 but Kiely is content that focus remains on the championship.

“If it takes another one (defeat) for us to get up to where we need to get to, so be it. The fact is championship is only eight weeks away and we are only after playing the second round of the league. That's the difference. We cannot take our eyes off the fact that that is where it is all going to matter.”

For the next league tie with Cork on Sunday week, Limerick look set to be without Gearoid Hegarty due to suspension after his red card on Saturday evening and William O’Donoghue could be set for a spell on the sideline after he was forced off with a shoulder injury after five minutes.

Cian Lynch could return for the visit of Cork – the 2021 Hurler of the Year hasn’t featured in any of the four games in 2022 to-date as he focuses on the Fitzgibbon Cup with NUI Galway.