Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Give squad space to be at our best
SUPER-SUB Shane Dowling described Limerick’s first All-ireland semi-final victory since 2007 as “pure magic” – before pleading with the Shannonsiders’ fans to keep the pressure off the players.
In three weeks time, Limerick will face the winners of next Sunday’s Galway v Clare semi-final replay but Dowling is worried the hype that helped to derail previous attempts to win the Liam Maccarthy Cup could distract players again.
It’s 45 years since Limerick last won the All-ireland. Having scored 1-4 in the second semi-final to go to extra-time at Croke Park over the weekend, Dowling (left) said: “Listen, we’re a passionate county.
“But I will ask for one message – I’ll ask the supporters to enjoy it and I hope they embrace it, but I do plead that they let the players focus for the next three weeks because we’ve been here a number of times in the last 30 or 40 years.
“This time I really hope we’re not just going to get to the final to march behind the band. I want Limerick to go all the way.
“When you get you chance you have to take it. I’m delighted things fell my way. We’re a serious panel and I genuinely mean that. It’s going to be a 20-man game and whatever anyone’s part is, we’ll do what we’re told.
“I can’t tell you if Limerick are going to win an All-ireland, but I’ll make one promise – the next three weeks we’ll work hard and we’ll try our best.”
Pumped up Limerick boss John Kiely delivered a similar message to the media.
“If one player is contacted directly, I will shut the whole thing down,” he vowed. “That’s it, we just go about our daily lives.”
If one player is contacted directly, I will shut the whole thing down - JOHN KIELY