Limerick are favourites but history must be considered. No national title at under-18 since 1984. Only two before that in 1940 and 1958. This matters. This always matters.
Kilkenny arrive with 20 All-Ireland titles at minor with their last in 2010. But momentarily shelve the weight of history because it comes secondary to the simple fact that this Limerick team are different than what has gone before. There is a cerebral intent to their approach.
In Ronan Lynch, Lynch can boast teenage talent comparable to anything seen these past 10 years. So good he played senior club with Na Piarsaigh against Joe Canning and Portumna last February. This is the midfielder’s third year at minor.
Lynch had accumulated 0-22 against Tipperary, Cork and Waterford (twice) to secure the Munster title but hadn’t taken aim amidst the throngs of Croke Park for almost 12 months. So the Limerick seniors sneakily togged him so he could practice frees alongside senior brethren as the big house swelled. A week later he walloped 0-13 (10 from frees) in the destruction of Galway.
He will probably be with them for real next summer. Point is, this is no ordinary Limerick hurling batch. A few of them – including Lynch and inspirational captain Cian Lynch – already claimed Harty Cup medals in early Spring.
Leadership qualities
The problem for Limerick is this is a very ordinary Kilkenny hurling batch. The norm around those parts was summed up by Browne: “Hurling is kind of the heart and soul down here in Kilkenny, sometimes it’s all we have.”
Nor are they short of silver. CBS Kilkenny won the Leinster Colleges title this year only for St Kieran’s to claw their way back into the All-Ireland decider and beat them in the replay.
Séan Morrissey came off the bench and racked up 0-4 for Kieran’s in that victory. Liam Blanchfield was another to feature and he also shined in the Leinster final with two goals against Dublin. That 2-19 to 2-10 scoreline was significant as it represented a 20-point swing from the championship defeat to Dublin.
Defending champions Waterford were put away after extra-time the last day with Alan Murphy soaring his championship tally to 3-40 (Blanchfield’s 0-5 and John Walsh’s goal were also crucial).
Family ties
It will be some day for the Murphy clan. Shane is the sub goalkeeper while elder brother Eoin is with the seniors. But there will always be sprinkles of family ties and possible historical signs. Cian Lynch’s uncle is Ciarán Carey, another uncle (Pa) won the minor All-Ireland with Limerick in ’84, a grand uncle (Eamonn) in ’58.
The only thing that should matter is the boys themselves. If Andrew La Touche Cosgrave reigns at centre back, if Tom Morrissey and Barry Nash get amongst the scoring then Kilkenny could be overwhelmed.
“I’ve been 19 years involved in hurling in Limerick and from an underage point of view it is the best I have seen,” said manager Brian Ryan
That’s some compliment considering the team containing Séamus Hickey, Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon, James Ryan and Gavin O’Mahony got to this juncture in 2005 only to be beaten by Galway.
“There is a sense of expectation surrounding this Limerick team given their experience, but there is also a massive sense of realism as well,” Ryan added. “Everyone from the players to the management are very grounded. The key for a county like Limerick is to learn from past mistakes and I think we’re doing that. We’ve drawn positives from the negatives.”
Probably. But it must be done in September.
Verdict: Limerick.
