MIKE CASEY COULD yet play a part in Limerick’s Allianz Hurling League campaign next spring after an optimistic diagnosis of his latest knee setback.
The Limerick full-back underwent surgery to repair damage to the cartilage in his right knee, sustained late in Na Piarsaigh’s Munster semi-final loss to Ballygunner.
A torn cruciate ruled Casey out of the 2020 championship and further damage to his knee cartilage ended his hopes of returning for the 2021 campaign. He previously underwent knee operations in November 2020, July 2021, and December 2021 before making a full comeback to star in defence for Limerick this year as they completed an All-Ireland three-in-a-row.
As for his latest injury blow, Limerick selector Donal O’Grady was just glad the injury was cartilage rather than cruciate.
“I wouldn’t rule him out of the league but I’d say that we’ll have to mind him. How serious it is and a timescale on his comeback, we don’t know yet,” said O’Grady.
“There’s no timeline but we’re delighted because it didn’t look good when it happened. He got good news in the sense that it wasn’t his cruciate again. I think there’s a bit of cartilage damage so he’s going to be out for the early part of the season anyway.
“If he can come back from a cruciate like the way he did, on his first night back with us last year he had a relapse without tearing it again, and to finish up the season in the All-Ireland final with us was a testament to the way he came back really.
“He’s very driven, there’d be no fear of him doing his rehab. He’s a top guy. He needs a bit of luck really; Peter the same, I don’t know what it is with the Caseys. (Peter also suffered a cruciate tear in the 2021 All-Ireland final.)
“They’ve had a tough time but they’ve responded great. Peter finished out the club season great with Na Piarsaigh. If we could get them two boys fit for the middle of the year we’ll be in a good place.”
Cian Lynch is another visitor to the treatment room at pre-season training sessions but one O’Grady hopes to have back on the field early in the new year. Lynch suffered an ankle ligament injury which ruled him out of July’s All-Ireland hurling final just as he was returning from a torn hamstring.
“He had a bit of soreness up to a couple of weeks ago but has come back doing a bit of training with us, doing a bit of running. Nothing too intensive or nothing match-based, or anything like that.
“The signs are positive that we will hopefully have him back early on in the season.”
Back for the start of the League?
“Yeah, that would be great. Obviously, he has nothing done since the Waterford game last year in the Gaelic Grounds where he did that serious hamstring injury. He missed all his club championship. Fitness-wise, we’ll see how he is, but definitely, as far as getting a heavy workload into him, he is getting there and nearly ready for that.”
This Limerick bunch seems to take injuries in its stride, not that it makes them any easier to digest.
“When Cian went down injured, we were in the Gaelic Grounds the same morning, it was like someone just popped a balloon, and that was every guy that was fighting for Cian’s position because he is such an integral part of the whole thing.
“There has always been the mantra in this set-up of next man up. They have all delivered when they have been asked on and we are lucky enough that we have guys that can come on or start.
“As disappointed as you are for a player to lose out on such a big occasion like that, it is all part of the team ethos. And that is not just in Limerick, that is in most counties. You trust the guy beside you to go in and do a job if needs be.
“Yes, there would be a sense of disappointment, but at the same time you have to be professional and push that aside, and let it be next man up.”
The young age profile of the squad means there are no retirements to report. Even if there was anyone mulling over their inter-county future, Limerick’s relentless level of success mitigates against any early retirees.
“The entire group is back. We’d have one or two over the age of 30 now but in general the age profile of the team would be young,” said O’Grady
“If you were to retire you’d have to be really content with what you’ve done up until now to come away from a group with the potential to kick on.
“The age profile is right, we’ve come back to training fresh, which is good, so it’ll be interesting.”
Limerick GAA spent €2.3m on supporting their inter-county teams in 2022, an increase of almost €1m on the pandemic-truncated 2021 season. That figure includes funding towards the senior hurlers’ team holiday to Florida later this month.
O’Grady says it’s much in line with the financial support given to their inter-county rivals, with Limerick’s extended campaign in senior and U20 hurling, and senior football, a factor in their elevated 2022 costs.
“Are we doing anything that other teams aren’t, as far as financially? I would say we’re doing the exact same. Obviously, we’re at the latter end of the Championship, which has its own costs. My understanding is that the team trip was in that as well.
“There’s nothing, how would I say, a blank chequebook thrown at the senior hurling team. Everything is done for a reason. It’s hard to know what other counties are doing. Where it’s going, genuinely, I don’t know.
“Where do you put a stop in it? Do the wealthier counties kick on because of it? It’s something that will probably have to be looked at down the line if it spirals out of control.
“At this moment in time, it’s something that we don’t really, as a management team, have control of. We can ask for X, Y, and Z but there’s plenty of things we’ve asked for and they’ve said, ‘No, not this time lads’, and that’s understandable.”