Tom Morrissey, Limerick, and Brendan Maher, Tipperary, in action at Semple Stadium on Saturday evening.
By Cian O'Connell
Though Limerick were beaten in an epic Allianz Hurling League semi-final by Tipperary at Semple Stadium, Tom Morrissey is adamant that valuable lessons have been learned this spring.
Having secured promotion by defeating All Ireland champions Galway, Limerick were subsequently involved in two drama laden knock matches against Clare and Tipperary.
"The last few games against Galway, Clare, and Tipp, it's games like that that go down to the wire that you learn the most from," Morrissey says.
"We definitely have a lot to take from the League going into the Championship. We can only be looking forward to it and going into it in a positive note, I think, after the last few games.
"Unfortunately the League didn't end on a good note like we wanted it to, but definitely positive notes to look forward to for the first round of the Championship."
Significant signs of progress are evident in Limerick according to Morrissey. "Yeah, exactly," Morrissey admits. "I think we sort of came into it under the radar in Division 1B. We beat Galway and kicked on again against Clare.
"Just the result didn't go our way. We kind of just gave up just a few soft scores at crucial times and that was essentially the difference.
"Whenever we clawed our way back into the game we gave them another three, four, five-point lead which they didn't really have to work for. It just kind of killed us towards the end."
Exciting Limerick forward Tom Morrissey.
John Kiely has constructed a strong panel which will be boosted further by the return of several Na Piarsaigh players. "Yeah, look, there was unreal competition all through the League for places as well," Morrissey acknowledges. "Once you got your jersey you were doing anything you could to keep it.
"As everyone knows, we have the Na Piarsaigh contingent to come back. Look, there was an unreal panel of players that got us to here in the League and got us over the line the last two days and just came up short.
"Yeah, as I said, there's unreal talent in the side and the panel that we have this year. So there will be unreal competition from April and May to get on that Championship side."
Morrissey accepts that the time is arriving for Limerick to truly deliver at the highest level this summer. "I suppose it is," Morrissey replies. "We have underperformed at senior level the last few years. "I think the more games now this year it will really give us a chance to get going.
"With the other format if you lost your first game in Munster, going back training was kind of tough.
"But at least you have a week's turn around now and you're back into it again. I think that could suit us a lot this year and we're just looking forward to it."
