U-21 Hurling Championship 2014

Here's a post I made in the Limerick thread about our U-21 for Clare on Wednesday.


And so we turn to Ciarán and the U-21s, who have to go up against a team going for a 3-in-a-row, and who are loaded with talent from back to front. Hidalgo in the Clare thread said that Tots is now out, as well as Shane O'Donnell, but they have loads of class forwards still available.

Should be a decent crowd there after the senior victory, and it will be interesting to see how Carey does... you'd imagine Clare will bring a big crowd too.

It's a tough draw, we're really up against it, and you'd imagine that we aren't very likely to win. From Carey's point-of-view, not only does he have to get a performance from the team, he needs to show he's astute tactically if he wants to get the senior job in future. We do have some very talented players, but some of them have under-performed at this level in the past.

And I realised that since the Leaving Cert starts Wednesday- it's highly unlikely that Ronan or Cian Lynch, or La Touche Cosgrave or Barry Nash will be playing. Which is a big blow.

Fireball07 wrote: »

I imagine our U-21 hurlers will be choosing from a group of players such as:

Goalkeepers: PJ Hall (Adare), Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen), Darragh Stapleton (Doon)

Full-Backs: Mark Carmody (Patrickswell), Niall Carmody (Patrickswell), James Carrig (Patrickswell), Michael Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Richie English (Doon), Shane Irwin (Bruff), Mark O'Callaghan (Knockaderry)

Half-Backs: Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Evan Fitzgerald (Claghaun), Andrew Hannigan (St. Pat's), Andrew La Touche Cosgrave (Monaleen), Barry Lynch (Feohanagh/Castlemahon), Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Barry O'Connell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)

Midfielders: Jamie Butler (Feohanagh/Castlemahon), Diarmuid Dee (Mungret), Darragh Donovan (Doon), Brian Finn (Bruff), Jody Hannon (Adare), William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), Adrian Roberts (Ballybrown)

Half-Forwards: David Condron (Granagh/Ballingarry), Dave Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh), Leigh Doolin (Ballybrown), Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh), Mike Fitzgibbon (Feohanagh/Castlemahon), Gearoid Hegarty (St. Pat's) Jack Kelliher (Patrickswell), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Barry Nash (South Liberties), Brendan O'Connor (Croagh/Kilfinny), Eoin O'Farrell (Croom), David Reidy (Dromin/Athlacca)

Full-Forwards: Jack Aherne (Killeedy), Dean Coleman (Doon), Evan Egan (Na Piasaigh), David Hall (Ballybrown), Barry Murphy (Doon), Kevin O'Brien (Patrickswell), Liam O'Sullivan (Knockaderry), Pat Ryan (Doon)


Those in bold have made the senior panel in the past.
Those in bold & italics are still in the squad for the Championship.
Those underlined were in the U-21 panel last year.
Those in just italics are still minor and may not be included, I don't know what the policy will be.

Fireball07 wrote: »

Now I'd probably go for:

1. PJ Hall
2. Shane Irwin
3. Richie English
4. Mark Carmody
5. Diarmuid Byrnes
6. Barry Lynch
7. Dan Morrissey
8. Barry O'Connell
9. Ronan Lynch
10. Cian Lynch
11. Shane Dowling
12. David Reidy
13. Kevin O'Brien
14. Dave Dempsey/Dean Coleman
15. Jack Aherne

16. Darragh Stapleton; 17. Michael Casey; 18. James Carrig; 19. Diarmuid Dee; 20. Jody Hannon; 21. Darragh Donovan; 22. Mike Fitzgibbon; 23. Brendan O'Connor; 24. Dave Dempsey/Dean Coleman

Obviously you have to take Ronan Lynch, Cian Lynch, David Reidy and Diarmuid Dee out of that panel... I haven't heard of any other players not being available, so I'm going with that.

So now I'd go for:

Which on paper, looks a lot weaker. I've brought Casey, O'Donoghue and the other of Coleman/Dempsey into the team. That moves Carmody to wing-forward, but maybe he'd be better around the middle. We've got O'Connell, Lynch, Byrnes and Morrissey- all who's best position is in the half-back line, and are all are probably too good to leave off the team.

A bench of- Stapleton, Carrig, N. Carmody, Roberts, Hannon, Donovan, Fitzgibbon, O'Connor, O'Sullivan

KevIRL wrote: »

I love this championship, last of the true knockout championships and has served up some brilliant games over the past few years. Have a major issue with Galway getting a a bye to the All Ireland semi final though and Antrim with an effective bye. Both should be in Leinster at all levels

Doesn't really benefit them as they move up to senior though, Galway have had some great U-21 teams and failed to bring the players through.

Any word from Clare lads on a potential team for Wednesday? Obviously they have a good few senior players involved as well as players involved in last year's AI victory.

I heard that O'Donnell, Tots, O'Neill and Jarlath Colleran are all out?


Jack Browne, Seadna Morey, Tony Kelly, Colm Galvin, Peter Duggan, Aaron Cunningham, Jamie Shanahan all left over from last year's panel, in addition to some of those injured.


Looking at last year's panel, plus minors, plus news from club games, something like:



I know a few Clare lads who rate Bobby Duggan very very highly, as well as the likes of Shane Gleeson, Gudgie O'Connell and Shane McGrath.

But that's an intercounty midfield, and a forward line who would probably be able to compete at the highest level... is Jack Browne really a full-back?



Even with the injuries, that's serious talent and we'll be up against it- particularly missing the top minors & Reidy. Does seem a bit unfair that Limerick/Clare have to play without minors, yet the next fixtures aren't on for a month. I'd say we'll play high-tempo, physical, fairly direct hurling. We'll undoubtedly have a strong half-back line, and our middle third should be decent. Question marks over the forward line maybe, Dowling is a class act, but needs to find space. Lots of other skilful lads, but will they rack up a big score?

Limerick U-21 named, not really as I predicted at all:

1. Darragh Stapleton (Doon)
2. Mark Callaghan (Knockaderry)
3. Richie English (Doon)
4. Shane Irwin (Bruff)
5. Mark Carmody (Patrickswell)
6. Diarmuid Byrnes (Vice-Captain) (Patrickswell)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
10. Shane Dowling (Captain) (Na Piarsaigh)
11. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh)
12. Mike Fitzgibbon (Feohanagh)
13. Liam O Sullivan (Knockaderry)
14. Kevin O Brien (Patrickswell)
15. Pat Ryan (Doon)


I got 9/15 right... I mean, I would have picked Cian Lynch if I thought he would play. It's a bit mad really, I know he's related to Ciarán, but he's doing his Leaving Cert that morning, and the next morning- not sure it's fair to ask him to play. Definitely improves the team though, it's a class act.

Apparently Jack Aherne is injured, he'll be a loss for sure. Disappointed for him, I think he's a very talented player, and this was his real chance to lay down a marker on the intercounty scene.

No Barry Lynch and no Barry O'Connell is mad, both have been on the senior squad in the past. Barry O'Connell is a hugely talented player, and this will be his 4th season with the U-21s. He's had a few injury issues, but I'm fairly sure he's fit atm. Barry Lynch could have injury problems, again it would be strange not to play him, was excellent last year and was involved with the seniors based on excellent club form.

Carmody picked at wing-back, Callaghan given the nod over Casey in the corner, Pat Ryan favoured over his Doon colleague, Coleman, in the forwards. Senior footballer, Mike Fitzgibbon, is chosen at half-forward, superb ball-winner. Liam O'Sullivan in the corner, very good hurler, with Stapleton given the nod over Hall in goal- both decent keepers.

It's still a strong team, and they'll probably do very well for Carey- from 5-12 in particular looks very combative and all well able to hurl.


But at the same time- no Barry Lynch, no Barry O'Connell, no David Reidy, no Ronan Lynch, no Jack Aherne... I would say they are easily 5 of the best U-21s in the county.

cul beag wrote: »

Looking forward to Limerick v Clare tomorrow night. It's like a conveyor of talent these days that Clare are bringing through at underage and are rightly strong favorites to go all the way. Even without O Connell and O Donnell I think they will be too strong for Limerick and add to that the experience most of these fellas will have from winning both u21 and senior titles,their confidence will be sky high. Saw Jack Browne during the league and is a very tidy defender,I don't see him struggling at fullback at all.

Had a great team for the last few years at this level, but the minor team last year wasn't great (hammered by Waterford), and the one this year wouldn't be as good as previous ones. Still, once you've built the nucleus of a top team, you only need to be bringing through 2 or 3 really top players each year, rather than a consistently good team all over (obviously both would be nice).


Limerick have had a serious group of minors in the last couple of years, had a great crop of U-21s, who didn't perform as well as they could. This one mightn't be as good on paper, but I expect them to do better on the pitch. Pity the first game is so tough.

KevIRL wrote: »

5/2 is a nice price on Limerick all the same

Yeah... and +4 on the handicap.


And Shane Dowling first goalscorer & Limerick to win is 16/1.