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Limerick Senior Hurling 2026

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "I give Galway a right chance in the final. I think Limerick's radar has been off in both the Munster and AI semi final's but they still managed to find a way to win. I think the final may just be a bridge to far for them, in fact I'm convinced of it, and think Galway's mix of youth and experience will get hem over the line. Coming in as big underdogs will also suit them.

Agree with you on the standard of hurling over the last few months. It has been scrappy with some really wayward shooting and passes, although Limerick and Galway won't care about that. They are the best two teams in the country and fully deserve to be in the final."
Absolutely they do.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20287 - 08/07/2026 13:41:24    2684830

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "I give Galway a right chance in the final. I think Limerick's radar has been off in both the Munster and AI semi final's but they still managed to find a way to win. I think the final may just be a bridge to far for them, in fact I'm convinced of it, and think Galway's mix of youth and experience will get hem over the line. Coming in as big underdogs will also suit them.

Agree with you on the standard of hurling over the last few months. It has been scrappy with some really wayward shooting and passes, although Limerick and Galway won't care about that. They are the best two teams in the country and fully deserve to be in the final."
Absolutely they do. They are the 2 provincial champions too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20287 - 08/07/2026 13:42:01    2684831

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "I give Galway a right chance in the final. I think Limerick's radar has been off in both the Munster and AI semi final's but they still managed to find a way to win. I think the final may just be a bridge to far for them, in fact I'm convinced of it, and think Galway's mix of youth and experience will get hem over the line. Coming in as big underdogs will also suit them.

Agree with you on the standard of hurling over the last few months. It has been scrappy with some really wayward shooting and passes, although Limerick and Galway won't care about that. They are the best two teams in the country and fully deserve to be in the final."
I don't see Galway as big underdogs...underdogs okay. I give it 52 Limerick Galway 48, and that 4-point spread is bridgeable. Galway have a mighty energy about them.

Limerick might well go down, but if they do, they'll fight to the bitter end. And their supporters will stay until the final whistle, and even after it, even if Galway are lifting the cup. They won't be skedaddling out of Croker midway through the second half like the headless chickens that we saw at it last Saturday. Cork! The best supporters??? Not in any man's language. How early did you leave bnb, or were you even there at all?

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2609 - 08/07/2026 16:50:56    2684858

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "I give Galway a right chance in the final. I think Limerick's radar has been off in both the Munster and AI semi final's but they still managed to find a way to win. I think the final may just be a bridge to far for them, in fact I'm convinced of it, and think Galway's mix of youth and experience will get hem over the line. Coming in as big underdogs will also suit them.

Agree with you on the standard of hurling over the last few months. It has been scrappy with some really wayward shooting and passes, although Limerick and Galway won't care about that. They are the best two teams in the country and fully deserve to be in the final."
I agree with this, we have not been able to get our usual flow going. The win against Clare was dogged out primarily by hitting long ball on top of Hego and a blatant refusal to lose. The zippy balls through the lines and the ball flying over the bar has not really happened for us this year.
There is still the final for it all to click. Don't underestimate the loss a fit Cian Lynch is. Could see him start at centre forward next week and take the heat off Hego a bit. If he's recovering from a hamstring injury he'll surely not play midfield. It's the perfect prep in one way, Clare made it a tremendous battle and fight which will set us up nicely for what Galway will bring.

Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 499 - 08/07/2026 21:57:21    2684880

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "I don't see Galway as big underdogs...underdogs okay. I give it 52 Limerick Galway 48, and that 4-point spread is bridgeable. Galway have a mighty energy about them.

Limerick might well go down, but if they do, they'll fight to the bitter end. And their supporters will stay until the final whistle, and even after it, even if Galway are lifting the cup. They won't be skedaddling out of Croker midway through the second half like the headless chickens that we saw at it last Saturday. Cork! The best supporters??? Not in any man's language. How early did you leave bnb, or were you even there at all?"
That's a tad harsh on BNB.

I have always found him to be fair and honest in his opinions. I can't recall him ever bigging up Cork Fans or creating hype like some other

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 09/07/2026 13:29:06    2684934

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "I give Galway a right chance in the final. I think Limerick's radar has been off in both the Munster and AI semi final's but they still managed to find a way to win. I think the final may just be a bridge to far for them, in fact I'm convinced of it, and think Galway's mix of youth and experience will get hem over the line. Coming in as big underdogs will also suit them.

Agree with you on the standard of hurling over the last few months. It has been scrappy with some really wayward shooting and passes, although Limerick and Galway won't care about that. They are the best two teams in the country and fully deserve to be in the final."
I agree with you, I can see a lot of similarities between Galway and the Limerick 2018 Team. Very talented youngsters mixed with some very experienced players.

Limerick have been very wayward in their shooting all year and Galway have been massively impressive in this regard. Some of their shooting in the semi final was glorious

I'm hopeful rather than confident that Limerick can get it all to click once more on big occasion and perhaps have a "last dance".

I'm hoping that the physicality of the semi final (and Limerick's reaction to it) will have sharpened and primed Limerick for the battleground they are going to face in the final. I'm hoping we can bring an intensity that some of the younger Galway stars have may never have faced to date. If we can do that and rectify shooting/scoring percentages we should win.............but if we can't...........no better team to take advantage than Galway.

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 09/07/2026 13:46:06    2684937

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my team for final. Tried and trusted.

Quaid
Finn Morrisey Nash
Byrnes O'Donoghue Hayes
O'Donovan Lynch
Hegarty English O'Neill
Gillane O'Connor Casey

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 238 - 09/07/2026 14:14:55    2684941

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Looking at the age of your squad and by the way some of them look and play on the pitch with the miles on the clock, do you think will many leave in the coming years.

ColmFlaherty (Galway) - Posts: 175 - 09/07/2026 15:20:02    2684961

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "Looking at the age of your squad and by the way some of them look and play on the pitch with the miles on the clock, do you think will many leave in the coming years."
Still plenty in the tank. Need more young lads breaking through especially in the backs.

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 238 - 09/07/2026 21:59:46    2685019

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "Looking at the age of your squad and by the way some of them look and play on the pitch with the miles on the clock, do you think will many leave in the coming years."
I think we know that a number of the players playing currently are once in Generation type players and invariably some of them will move on over the next few years, some on their own terms and some because of younger players will emerge and take their places.

Some of the older players on the team (Nickie Quaid, Diarmuid Byrnes, Dan Morrissey and Gearoid Hegarty) are having their best seasons in number of years and look rejuvenated. The S&C work trimming some of them down a bit has really benefited their hurling.

The next cohort (Sean Finn, Barry Nash, Mike Casey Will O'Donoghue, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Aaron Gillane are all a year or two) younger than the older players should still have a few years left at the top level.

After that about a year younger again are the Kyle Hayes's and Peter Casey.

The rest of the team Adam English, Cathal O'Neill, Aidan O'Connor, and Shane O'Brien have 10 plus years

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 10/07/2026 13:09:57    2685095

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Great to see flags and bunting going up around the city and county. There is bit of buzz starting to build . Now that the ticket madness has commenced it is starting to feel like All Ireland final week

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 13/07/2026 09:56:03    2685540

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Replying To hlynch12:  "my team for final. Tried and trusted.

Quaid
Finn Morrisey Nash
Byrnes O'Donoghue Hayes
O'Donovan Lynch
Hegarty English O'Neill
Gillane O'Connor Casey"
The big call is who drops out of the forwards (or midfield)
You leave off O Brien but you could argue that he has been playing better than Gillane. And that they don't complement each other well
But maybe O Brien is better as an impact sub?

They have left off English the last couple of games (he only came in due to Lynchs withdrawal) but his pace and skill means he probably will start
DOD was poor the last day but outstanding every other games so is likely he will also start
CON, Hego., O Connor, Lynch and I think Peter Casey have to start
Whatever way you cut it a really good forward player will bench (along with Tom and Reidy)

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 283 - 13/07/2026 10:35:08    2685544

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After the disappointment of '24 was convinced there was another another All Ireland in Limerick after last year wasnt so sure.


This year we have CC back, we have consistency in performances compared to last year, we have League and Munster titles in the bag, bench impactand head into a final with room for improvement.


My concerns are Galway's momentum, their mixture of youth and older players who know how to win All Irelands and an excellent manager.

We cant afford another late charge to win the game as Galway wont go as long as Cork did without scoring from play in Munster final or score just 1-3 like Clare.

We need good ball into Gillane and for him to rediscover his League form.

Another win would cement Limericks legacy before you feel a decline would set in.

Sliothar73 (Limerick) - Posts: 23 - 13/07/2026 16:05:35    2685625

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Replying To Sliothar73:  "After the disappointment of '24 was convinced there was another another All Ireland in Limerick after last year wasnt so sure.


This year we have CC back, we have consistency in performances compared to last year, we have League and Munster titles in the bag, bench impactand head into a final with room for improvement.


My concerns are Galway's momentum, their mixture of youth and older players who know how to win All Irelands and an excellent manager.

We cant afford another late charge to win the game as Galway wont go as long as Cork did without scoring from play in Munster final or score just 1-3 like Clare.

We need good ball into Gillane and for him to rediscover his League form.

Another win would cement Limericks legacy before you feel a decline would set in."
slightly surprised by that team

LIMERICK (SHC v Galway): N. Quaid; S. Finn, M. Casey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, W. O'Donoghue, K. Hayes; A. English, C. Lynch; G. Hegarty, A. O'Connor, C. O'Neill; A. Gillane, S. O'Brien, P. Casey.
Subs: C. Ryan, C. Coughlan, F. Fitzgerald, M. Fitzgerald, H. Flanagan, E. Hurley, D. Langan, D. Morrissey, T. Morrissey, D. O'Donovan, D. Reidy.

Casey in for Dan, Lynch in for DOD, both of whom pay for being off color v Clare
Both must have been very tight calls. I thought he would stick with both and maybe Gillane or SOB or English would drop to the bench to let Lynch in

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 283 - 17/07/2026 11:19:27    2686032

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Replying To Yadse:  "slightly surprised by that team

LIMERICK (SHC v Galway): N. Quaid; S. Finn, M. Casey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, W. O'Donoghue, K. Hayes; A. English, C. Lynch; G. Hegarty, A. O'Connor, C. O'Neill; A. Gillane, S. O'Brien, P. Casey.
Subs: C. Ryan, C. Coughlan, F. Fitzgerald, M. Fitzgerald, H. Flanagan, E. Hurley, D. Langan, D. Morrissey, T. Morrissey, D. O'Donovan, D. Reidy.

Casey in for Dan, Lynch in for DOD, both of whom pay for being off color v Clare
Both must have been very tight calls. I thought he would stick with both and maybe Gillane or SOB or English would drop to the bench to let Lynch in"
John Kiely showing a ruthless streak.

Dan had one of his worst outings in years against Clare (but anyone who knows Dan would agree that it wouldn't affect him one bit, he would easily be able to reset and go again) and I am confident he will come in during the match bring calmness to the chaos. Mike Casey is playing well when he has come and hopefully his form in training is forcing managements hand in this regard.

DOD was anonymous against Clare and if Cian Lynch is to come back in it was probably a toss up between himself and Adam English, but on form Darragh misses out. He has been brilliant all year and is a good player to have to bring in

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 17/07/2026 12:09:25    2686042

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Replying To LimerickandProud:  "John Kiely showing a ruthless streak.

Dan had one of his worst outings in years against Clare (but anyone who knows Dan would agree that it wouldn't affect him one bit, he would easily be able to reset and go again) and I am confident he will come in during the match bring calmness to the chaos. Mike Casey is playing well when he has come and hopefully his form in training is forcing managements hand in this regard.

DOD was anonymous against Clare and if Cian Lynch is to come back in it was probably a toss up between himself and Adam English, but on form Darragh misses out. He has been brilliant all year and is a good player to have to bring in"
I still wouldn't be surprised if DOD started on the day with English and Cian went to centre forward. AOC would move in to FF and one of the inside 3 drops to the bench.
English being a more regular midfield scorer may have tilted it in his favour if they line out as listed. AOC might also be given license to roam way out the field to find space as another long range point taker if he starts at centre forward

Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 499 - 17/07/2026 13:59:18    2686062

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Didn't expect those changes..expected Donovan to cover half back line,we have 2 very attacking midfielders now.. who am I to question this management after everything they've got right..wishing the boys the very best of luck and hopefully Liam is back on Shannonside on Monday.

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2711 - 17/07/2026 17:17:04    2686093

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Gilly not starting

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 238 - 18/07/2026 05:35:00    2686136

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Caroline Currid/John Kiely/Paul Kinnerk have never lost AI as Limerick management. Omens are good.

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 238 - 18/07/2026 19:03:10    2686193

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Limerick have to be strong favourites. Galway hurlers have a terrible record in All Ireland finals and Galway have no tradition of coming from nowhere to win Liam. Even Galway's greatest ever hurling team with Keady and Finnerty lost two finals before winning two in the 1980s. Hope I'm wrong tomorrow.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2751 - 18/07/2026 19:46:16    2686198

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