So how do Limerick hurlers follow the perfect year?

SO exactly how do Limerick follow up on the perfect hurling year that was 2020?

Well, we don't have long to wait now as John Kiely's charges open the defence of their Allianz Hurling League Division 1 title against fierce rivals Tipperary at the LIT Gaelic Grounds this Saturday, May 8 at 5.30pm.

A stunning 13-game winning run from the outset of last season saw Limerick return four trophies – the season opening Co-Op Superstores Munster League, an Allianz League Division 1 crown, Munster SHC success and the blue riband, the All-Ireland SHC title.

The terrific feat had not been achieved by anyone since Tipperary in 1961.

The records just kept on tumbling for Limerick in 2020. In November, victory over Waterford saw Limerick bridge almost a 40 year wait for back-to-back Munster SHC titles.

Victory over Clare at Semple Stadium at the end of October helped secure a 13th ever National league title - first back-to-back league titles since 1984-85. 2020 was also the first time since the 1930’s that Limerick have won national titles in three successive seasons.

After the team awards came the individual awards. Nine members of the All-Ireland winning side were honoured with All-Star awards in February, Nickie Quaid, Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey and Aaron Gillane. For good measure free-scoring half forward and St Patrick's clubman Hegarty also won the covered Hurler of the Year accolade.

RTE's annual Sports Awards brought further recognition with John Kiely named Manager of the Year, while the all-conquering side was named Team of the Year.

But manager Kiely, his players and backroom team will have put that incredible year behind them now.

Nothing will focus the minds quite like a hectic schedule of top flight Allianz Hurling League fixtures in the coming weeks followed by a glamour Munster championship semi-final with great rivals Cork.

There are a number of changes in personnel to the Limerick senior squad for 2021. All-Ireland winning corner back Tom Condon announced his retirement from inter-county hurling at the start of the year. Thirty three-year-old Condon enjoyed a distinguished 12-year inter-county career with Limerick.

Meanwhile, defender Mike Casey, who underwent a cruciate knee ligament operation last November, is working his way back to fitness, with manager Kiely hopeful the Na Piarsaigh clubman will feature in the championship.

In terms of new faces, four new players have been called up to the Limerick senior hurling squad for 2021.

Like all counties, Limerick will have three weeks of on-field group training before that first league outing against Tipperary on Saturday.

It is a very short lead-in time and will be fascinating how the lack of traditional early season challenge games will impact on the performance of teams who will be having their first outings as a collective this weekend.

Given the compacted nature of the league with counties in Division 1 facing five games over six weekends, it will be imperative that sides hit the ground running.

Three-in-a-row seeking Limerick's second hurling league fixture will be against Galway at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, May 16, while John Kiely's side also face Waterford at Walsh Park, Cork at the Gaelic Grounds and finally in the round robin phase, Westmeath in Mullingar on June 13.

Limerick will late face Cork, at a neutral venue, in a Munster championship semi-final, with the provincial final scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 17-18.

Champions Limerick have a couple of significant pluses in their favour going into a season like-no-other.

The first is the strength in depth the squad possesses. Players given the nod to start a big league or championship fixture that if they don't perform there is a substitute sitting on the bench willing and able to take their place if they do not perform to the top of their capabilities.

That competition for gametime drives standards in training. It also means that should Limerick lose players through injury, and unfortunately injuries are inevitable in the game, there is a strong back-up player to come into the side.

Another significant asset Limerick possess is the age profile of their squad. The average age of the starting team in the All-Ireland final last December was in the mid-20s. Still a very young side.
Limerick head into the league, provincial championship and All-Ireland series as short-priced favourites to retain all three.

That favourites tag is deserved, but the challengers are lined up to have their shot. Let the games begin!