Treaty hungry for first points will really test the Kingdom

NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1B

Limerick v Kerry Sunday, February 19 The Gaelic Grounds, 2pm IT’S something of a recurring theme at this stage. The Kingdom prepare for a visit to the Gaelic Grounds with the locals in the mood to make a statement.

Last time out – in the Munster hurling league – a hammering at the hands of Cork steeled John Kiely’s side for the visit of Kerry and this time around Limerick conspired to throw away a decent lead away from home against Wexford just a week before the Kingdom come to town.

Having been frustrated in Division 1B for more years than they’d care to remember, that set-back will sting them. It puts them on the back foot right away as they aim to finally return to the promised land of Division 1A.

Don’t expect them to be in a charitable mood. Limerick will be all out for the two points on offer and if the game in the Munster league is anything to go by – and to a certain extent it is – then Kerry will be in for a difficult seventy minutes.

“I think Wexford beat Limerick today by a goal, which will mean Limerick will be out for blood next week,” was Fintan O’Connor’s straight forward assessment of the challenge Kerry face this weekend.

“We will be going down there, I am not sure actually of the final score in the Munster League, but they gave us a fair lesson and we were chasing shadows for a lot of the game.

“I would say there will probably be no change in terms of the availability of players that weren’t here today. We will be in the same boat. So, look it’s great to get a good start, and it’s great to get a win under our belt as well.”

As ever in these games against the very best the result in and of itself is not the important thing. Much more important is that Kerry perform, that they try to impose themselves on Limerick for some periods of the game, that they hold out as best they can at the back, that they learn from the experience.

For Kerry the focus remains on retaining their status, the game with Offaly will always be more important than games such as this.

Verdict: Limerick