And must shed gallant losers tag
can’t do it 30 or 40 yards from goal so expect Flanagan to be in on top of Eoin Murphy.
Walsh can’t take the chance of standing off you and taking a running jump in there because there’s too much space ahead of him, while speedsters Aaron Gillane – who I’m a big fan of – and Graeme Mulcahy will sweep in and feed off the breaks.
That’s how they’ll try to beat the Cats. The corner-forwards will stay wide and make it a foot race back into the middle, over and over again until eventually defenders’ legs grow weary and they’ll go by them and do damage. Shane Dowling might be better utilised in the role of impact sub as he slows up their style.
The importance of hard work and endeavour shouldn’t be underestimated when we’re finished with all the whiteboards and if Limerick have belief and work hard enough, they should get over the line by five or six points. If not, Kilkenny will rattle in a few goals and that’ll be that.
They must seize the day because these chances are rare. What’s facing Limerick next year in Munster? A rejuvenated Tipperary and a fresh Waterford, you don’t know when you’re going to get this chance again. They must grasp it.
Davy Fitzgerald is another one facing a do-or-die clash as his Wexford side meet his native Clare on Saturday. While he won’t say it out loud, this is all his dreams come true.
If you had told him at the start of the year that the Banner stood between him and an All-Ireland semi-final, he’d have taken your hand off. He has a settled team, a settled formation and everything is set to deliver.
Davy has made so many excuses this year (tiredness, referees etc) in an attempt to create a siege mentality, but they’ve had their break and there are no hiding places now. If they don’t get over the line, it could signal the end of what started as a very exciting project in Wexford.
John Conlon is on fire for Clare at full-forward, but Shaun Murphy’s sweeping role could help to negate his threat – so the question is, can Colm Galvin and Tony Kelly consistently put over long-range points?
This year’s evidence would suggest not, and if they don’t, Gerry O’Connor and Donal Moloney will come under pressure.
It’s high stakes but Wexford can edge it as this team has to do it for Davy. It’s now or never.