Limerick hurling team named to play Clare in eagerly awaited Shannonside derby

LIMERICK hurling manager John Kiely has revealed his line-up to play Clare in Sunday's eagerly awaited Shannonside derby.

The clash of neighbours takes place in Semple Stadium in Thurles this Sunday (3.45) in a game that doubles as the Munster SHC quarter final and Allianz Hurling League final.

The behind closed door game will be live on RTE television.

Limerick have selected a team that includes 13 of the line-up that started the 2019 All-Ireland SHC semi final loss to Kilkenny and the 2019 Munster SHC final win over Tipperary.

Absent from that starting 15 are injured full back line duo Mike Casey and Richie English - elsewhere the team remains unchanged. Replacing the injured two are Barry Nash and Paddy O'Loughlin.

The loss of the experienced pair requires a defensive shake-up - Dan Morrissey moves from his regular wing back role to full back and Nash, who played the second half of the Croke Park semi final loss to Brian Cody's Cats at wing back, is selected at corner back.

Nash did play corner back in Limerick's last competitive outing - a March 7 league win over Waterford.

Completing the full back line is back-to-back All Star Sean Finn.

In the half back line, captain Declan Hannon and Diarmaid Byrnes are joined by O'Loughlin, who also started against Clare in the 1-28 to 0-13 win for Limerick in the 2019 Munster SHC in the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

The midfield pairing are Cian Lynch and William O'Donoghue.

In attack, the 2018 All-Ireland winning half forward line remain in situ - Hegarty, Hayes and Morrissey.

In the full forward line are another familiar trio - Mulcahy, Gillane and Peter Casey, who missed all five league games back in the Spring due to injury.

Victory will move Limerick onto play Tipperary in the provincial semi final in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday November 1.

Defeat will see Limerick into phase one of the All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers on November 7/8.

Limerick have named a matchday panel of 26 players. 

Among those that Limerick can call upon from the substitutions bench are Darragh O'Donovan, Seamus Flanagan and Adrian Breen, who last played championship in the All-Ireland SHC Qualifier win over Westmeath in 2015.

Also among the 11 subs are Jerome Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Ronan Connolly (Adare), Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock) and Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen) - all yet to make their senior championship debut.

One player not among the subs is David Dempsey. The Na Piarsaigh man was impressive for Limerick back in the Spring and was Man of the Match in the Limerick SHC County Final - he picked up a knock that kept him out of contention for Sunday.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid (Effin); Sean Finn (Bruff), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Barry Nash (South Liberties); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Declan Hannon (Adare), Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock); Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Tom Morrissey (Ahane); Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock), Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh). Subs: Barry Hennessy (Kilmallock), Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Jerome Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh), Ronan Connolly (Adare), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock), Darragh O’Donovan (Doon), Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca), Pat Ryan (Doon).