NO MATTER WHERE you look, the Munster hurling championship is shaping up into an incredible bearpit over the coming weeks.
First up this Sunday, is the meeting of Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh with perennial Waterford champions Ballygunner in the Gaelic Grounds. Ka-Blam!
In a fortnight’s time, Loughmore-Castleiney will be continuing their never ending story when they make it an old-fashioned Tipp-Clare dust-up when they travel to Cusack Park to face the Townies of Eire Óg. Wallop!
On the same day, defending Munster champions Sarsfields will take on the winner of this weekend’s slam. Wowzers!
Every and any of those teams can lay claim to having a serious say in the destination of the Tommy Moore Cup, but let’s start with the hosting team this weekend.
Since the first of Na Piarsaigh’s Limerick titles in 2011, the evolution of the team is almost complete.
The appearance of Cathal King – captain when they beat Ruairí Óg Cushendall in the 2016 final – in extra time as they overcame Doon in the county final, preserved the lineage back to 2011.
Others have spanned the time, such as Adrian Breen, while Kevin Downes played in all but the 2020 final through injury, while Shane Dowling missed a couple of years after knee injury forced his retirement before his comeback as goalkeeper.
Speak to some in the club and they might drop hints that of those nine titles, the 2011 were the most honest and workmanlike. Determined and brawny with a huge drive, but lacking in finesse.
As success arrived, confidence and new players entered the equation. William O’Donoghue, Mike Casey and David Dempsey in time for 2014, Peter Casey a year later.
It’s the younger Casey that Na Piarsaigh supporters are cherishing in 2025 following his horrendous injury history.
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In the 2021 All-Ireland final, he already had five points banked against Cork before his knee crumped just before the half hour mark, signalling an end to his year.
It was against Tipperary in 2024 when he suffered a horrible injury following a tangle of legs with a defender trying to block his shot. He dislocated and broke his ankle.
“The cruciate is a rotten one and I have had that one myself,” explains Damien Quigley, a predecessor of Casey in the same position for club and county.
“But it is what it is, you get your programme of recovery and you go and do it and get back. But the other injury… there’s an awful lot of unknown about it. It’s not a standard injury.
Peter Casey with Daithi Dempsey after victory over Mount Sion. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“There’s certainty in the cruciate, but nothing with what happened him that day against Tipperary. It would have been a fundamental question about him walking or running again, as it was a horrible injury, it really was.”
Quigley has retained strong links with this group of players since he spent a year as selector under Shane O’Neill in 2023 when they saw off Patrickswell in the county final.
He is an avowed fan of the wispy Casey, who accounted for three points in the county final.
“Peter is a sensational player. And he has no weakness in his game at all. He’s the most efficient man I’ve ever seen with the ball in his hand. He never wastes a possession. He either scores, creates or wins a free. He never wastes a ball,” says Quigley.
“His mental resilience to come back from those two injuries there, is sensational. You just couldn’t say enough about the lad.”
All good. All positive. And now to the weekend. While it took extra-time for Na Piarsaigh to reverse last years championship final result to Doon, Ballygunner are coming at things from a different angle.
It will be eight weeks since they beat Mount Sion in their county final. A huge gap for sure, but one they are intimately familiar with given the structure of the way the Waterford county board run their competitions.
“They are well used to managing that process,” says Quigley.
“The one thing the big break gives them though is the chance to get all the bodies back on the pitch. That is a big help in a club as clubs don’t have the depth of panel as a county panel might have.
Ballygunner celebrate their 11th consecutive ttile. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
“While managing the ten weeks or eight weeks, whatever it might be every year is a challenge for them, they are almost guaranteed to have their full complement. Anyone who is hurt has time to recover.”
He adds, “But I have so much admiration for them. Serial winners. I don’t care how good you are, if you are winning every year, over and over again, you are going to have an off-day at some stage. They never seem to do, which is totally against human nature really.
“But sure look at their second senior team, winning the intermediate championship. Incredible, like!”
Ballygunner surprised a few when they appointed the former Wexford and Kildare football manager Jason Ryan as their new manager, replacing Darragh O’Sullivan in February.
Their way of playing is baked in to their make-up. Ryan knows this and his way of managing has been to deploy his sincerity and keep the harmony going.
Meanwhile, Na Piarsaigh themselves keep going and evolving. This year, Shane O’Neill took in another coach in Tomás Downes, brother of Kevin.
His own coaching journey has been an interesting one. Instead of remaining in his comfort zone and coaching underage teams, he made it his business to go to other clubs to see what he could pick up.
As a result, he has Garyspillane, Feakle and then Newtownshandrum all as seats of learning.
After they won the Limerick final, it was referenced in the victorious speeches, how it felt good to be winning with Tomás on board.
This Sunday though, everything goes up a gear. It will be compelling.
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'They never have an off day' - Na Piarsaigh buckle up for visit of well-rested Ballygunner
NO MATTER WHERE you look, the Munster hurling championship is shaping up into an incredible bearpit over the coming weeks.
First up this Sunday, is the meeting of Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh with perennial Waterford champions Ballygunner in the Gaelic Grounds. Ka-Blam!
In a fortnight’s time, Loughmore-Castleiney will be continuing their never ending story when they make it an old-fashioned Tipp-Clare dust-up when they travel to Cusack Park to face the Townies of Eire Óg. Wallop!
On the same day, defending Munster champions Sarsfields will take on the winner of this weekend’s slam. Wowzers!
Every and any of those teams can lay claim to having a serious say in the destination of the Tommy Moore Cup, but let’s start with the hosting team this weekend.
Since the first of Na Piarsaigh’s Limerick titles in 2011, the evolution of the team is almost complete.
The appearance of Cathal King – captain when they beat Ruairí Óg Cushendall in the 2016 final – in extra time as they overcame Doon in the county final, preserved the lineage back to 2011.
Others have spanned the time, such as Adrian Breen, while Kevin Downes played in all but the 2020 final through injury, while Shane Dowling missed a couple of years after knee injury forced his retirement before his comeback as goalkeeper.
Speak to some in the club and they might drop hints that of those nine titles, the 2011 were the most honest and workmanlike. Determined and brawny with a huge drive, but lacking in finesse.
As success arrived, confidence and new players entered the equation. William O’Donoghue, Mike Casey and David Dempsey in time for 2014, Peter Casey a year later.
It’s the younger Casey that Na Piarsaigh supporters are cherishing in 2025 following his horrendous injury history.
In the 2021 All-Ireland final, he already had five points banked against Cork before his knee crumped just before the half hour mark, signalling an end to his year.
It was against Tipperary in 2024 when he suffered a horrible injury following a tangle of legs with a defender trying to block his shot. He dislocated and broke his ankle.
“The cruciate is a rotten one and I have had that one myself,” explains Damien Quigley, a predecessor of Casey in the same position for club and county.
“But it is what it is, you get your programme of recovery and you go and do it and get back. But the other injury… there’s an awful lot of unknown about it. It’s not a standard injury.
“There’s certainty in the cruciate, but nothing with what happened him that day against Tipperary. It would have been a fundamental question about him walking or running again, as it was a horrible injury, it really was.”
Quigley has retained strong links with this group of players since he spent a year as selector under Shane O’Neill in 2023 when they saw off Patrickswell in the county final.
He is an avowed fan of the wispy Casey, who accounted for three points in the county final.
“His mental resilience to come back from those two injuries there, is sensational. You just couldn’t say enough about the lad.”
All good. All positive. And now to the weekend. While it took extra-time for Na Piarsaigh to reverse last years championship final result to Doon, Ballygunner are coming at things from a different angle.
It will be eight weeks since they beat Mount Sion in their county final. A huge gap for sure, but one they are intimately familiar with given the structure of the way the Waterford county board run their competitions.
“They are well used to managing that process,” says Quigley.
“The one thing the big break gives them though is the chance to get all the bodies back on the pitch. That is a big help in a club as clubs don’t have the depth of panel as a county panel might have.
“While managing the ten weeks or eight weeks, whatever it might be every year is a challenge for them, they are almost guaranteed to have their full complement. Anyone who is hurt has time to recover.”
He adds, “But I have so much admiration for them. Serial winners. I don’t care how good you are, if you are winning every year, over and over again, you are going to have an off-day at some stage. They never seem to do, which is totally against human nature really.
“But sure look at their second senior team, winning the intermediate championship. Incredible, like!”
Ballygunner surprised a few when they appointed the former Wexford and Kildare football manager Jason Ryan as their new manager, replacing Darragh O’Sullivan in February.
Their way of playing is baked in to their make-up. Ryan knows this and his way of managing has been to deploy his sincerity and keep the harmony going.
Meanwhile, Na Piarsaigh themselves keep going and evolving. This year, Shane O’Neill took in another coach in Tomás Downes, brother of Kevin.
His own coaching journey has been an interesting one. Instead of remaining in his comfort zone and coaching underage teams, he made it his business to go to other clubs to see what he could pick up.
As a result, he has Garyspillane, Feakle and then Newtownshandrum all as seats of learning.
After they won the Limerick final, it was referenced in the victorious speeches, how it felt good to be winning with Tomás on board.
This Sunday though, everything goes up a gear. It will be compelling.
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