By Cian O'Connell

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It has been a dramatic stint for David Dempsey since 2015.

Winning All Irelands at Under 21 with Limerick and AIB Senior club level for Na Piarsaigh brought immense joy and satisfaction.

Now Dempsey is establishing himself on John Kiely's senior team with Limerick looking forward to Sunday's Allianz Hurling League Semi-Final against Galway at the Gaelic Grounds.

Dempsey admits Limerick took great encouragement from the Quarter-Final win over Cork. "Yeah, after the Munster League Final, and Wexford and Galway in the 1B games, it was important for us going down to Páirc Uí Rinn, coming out of there with a win," Dempsey says.

"We put ourselves under pressure to go down to perform, to get a result. Just to be in a Semi-Final now against Galway is a massive bonus. Hopefully we can up the performance again from the last day and drive it on and hopefully get to a League Final."

With the Under 21 success and Na Piarsaigh's journey last year it was a remarkable adventure for Dempsey. "Yeah, it was unbelievable," Dempsey reflects. "I was kind of riding on the crest of a wave. I couldn’t have dreamt the whole year.

"It was an unbelievable six or seven months. But then last year unfortunately between our Club Championship performance - we didn’t get out of the group which was disappointing - and then Limerick exited the Championship before the Quarter-Final stage. That was seen as a disappointing campaign."

Having worked with Kiely previously, Dempsey is adamant that Limerick can make progress in the coming weeks and months. "I wouldn’t even say me personally, but definitely over half of our senior panel have been involved with him on Under 21 teams," Dempsey remarks about Kiely's involvement.

"His winning mentality was something all the Under 21’s loved. His passion for the game, his passion for Limerick is huge.

"You see him coming in as senior manger, you definitely know from previous experience what it means to him. The backroom team you couldn’t ask for better, everything is down to a tee. You’d definitely be content with the set-up."

Paul Kinnerk and Joe O'Connor were both involved in Clare's backroom team for a spell with Dempsey delighted they are now involved for Limerick.

"Another man (Kinnerk) who is awful passionate about Limerick hurling and just wants us to achieve our best," Dempsey remarks.

"He’s very shrewd in what he does. He’s brought a whole new freshness this year in what he does. I’m in LIT, some of the lads were raving about him with Clare, saying how good himself and Joe O’Connor were for them, they were with them for the last few years winning All-Irelands.

"They were definitely disappointed to lose him to Limerick in the first place. They knew the work they’d put in with Clare had paid off, they put a lot down to the two lads."

While Dempsey acknowledges the future is bright for Limerick, the panel are simply concentrating on the present. "There is talent there and it does take time to adjust," Dempsey states.

"A lot of us this is maybe our first campaign even getting a full League under our belt. But no better time than the present to start performing. We’re not looking to the future for things to happen, we want things to start happening now. It does take time to adjust."