THE CHAMPIONSHIP JOURNEY began back in June 2016, pressed into action as a second-half substitute by then manager TJ Ryan.
Tom Morrissey marked that personal Limerick milestone with a late goal, not enough to alter the outcome, but even in defeat he was able to depart Semple Stadium with a scoring memento.
“I was on the panel in 2015 and we had won the 21s All-Ireland in 201. Going back into 2016, then I got given a nice bit of game time in the league. We were 1B at the time.
“So when the championship was coming around, I remember I was pushing for a starting place. We had players coming back from injury, and we had an influx of Na Piarsaigh lads coming back in after the league as well.
“So just lost out on the starting place for championship. Probably was a small bit frustrated, Back at that stage, you’re a young fella trying to push in, impatient.
“You just want to make your senior debut, it’s what you’ve probably built your whole career, since you were a young child really. That’s been the goal to put on the Limerick senior jersey.
“It was just good, to get onto the pitch, but unfortunately it definitely wasn’t the fairytale start having lost.”
Tom Morrissey, during the 2016 championship. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
In the decade since things improved on individually and collectively. He became a permanent fixture in the Limerick half-forward line at a time of unimaginable glory.
Five All-Ireland accumulated as part of the team’s dominance, three All-Stars collected as proof of his own rise.
Morrissey has been a constant presence, which is why his bystander role on league final day due to injury was a jarring experience.
“My injury history throughout my Limerick career has been good. The last round-robin game of the league against Galway and the league final, those were the first two games in my 12th year with the senior team, that I was unavailable for selection.
“But look, it was frustrating. It would have been nice to have been part of, when it was a home league final.
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“I suppose I’d accepted it by the time the day had come around that I wasn’t going to be togging out and playing a part.
“It was a great day, just to have a packed Gaelic Grounds, have a home crowd there, and then to win on top of it. Didn’t get to play on the pitch but, still enjoyed it nonetheless.”
His pathway to this point benefitted from the presence of an older role model at home. Dan operates at the other end of the pitch, anchoring the rearguard, but his development was always monitored closely by his younger brother by three years.
“You’re looking up to him all the steps along, watching him play Tony Forristal at U14 and Arrabawn at U16, and then you progress to the minor team.
“You’re going to those tournaments and hoping that you’re going to be at that stage in three years’ time, each step of the way up, right up until you do get to senior. Just wanted to emulate what he was doing.
“A long time playing together now on the senior team, which has been enjoyable and, and thankfully successful as well.”
Tom and Dan Morrissey lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup together in 2023. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
There were others to draw inspiration from in the Ahane locality. Ask if the trailblazers from the parish caught his imagination and he casts his mind back immediately to the summer of 2007, and the wondrous adventure Limerick embarked on that culminated in the showpiece defeat to Kilkenny.
“Growing up, it was the biggest summer I remember. They got to the Munster final and All-Ireland final, and would have had that trilogy of games against Tipp in Munster.
“The lads involved in the club at that time were Ollie and Niall (Moran) and Seanie O’Connor. Three of them were starting throughou. I remember the pitch invasion after the last Tipp game that they won in the Gaelic Grounds. A really good summer’s evening. Just the whole summer there was great excitement.”
Ollie Moran in action for Limerick in the 2007 Munster championship against Tipperary. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The wheel turns. The beginning of his club senior days overlapped with the closing chapter of trio’s careers. They shared dressing-rooms then, now Morrissey looks around and realises he’s cast as the elder statesman at home.
He turns 30 in May, yet in the Limerick squad a high level of familiarity remains.
Of the 20 players that saw game-time in the breakthrough All-Ireland senior triumph, 13 are still part of the current panel.
Consider Morrissey’s underage compatriots. From the 2014 minor final defeat to Kilkenny, his forward colleages included Séamus Flanagan, Barry Nash, Cian Lynch, and Peter Casey.
From the 2017 U21 final victory over Kilkenny, a team he captained, the attack contained Nash, Lynch, Casey, Aaron Gillane, and Barry Murphy.
Some have drifted away but the core remains intact and it captures how much Limerick reaped from those underage sides.
“We’ve been on the road a long time together, shared a lot of good days as well, thankfully, which only adds to to good memories. When think about any of your your friends in life they’re going to be people that you share big life milestones and life memories with.
We’ve been lucky to share a lot of the best days of our lives together, so naturally, we’re going to be a very close group.”
He shifted his focus in the last couple of off-seasons. Spent the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 touring around South America.
Last December it was Central America where he based himself for a month, before landing back in time for Dan’s wedding after Christmas.
“Went to Guatemala, Panama and Belize. It was enjoyable now, cool part of the world. Got a few of those ticked off just last year, but still plenty more of the world to explore. The year before had missed Christmas, didn’t come home until the end of January.
“December’s a good time in Ireland, so it nice to come home for that, get the Christmas buzz, and then having a family wedding as well.”
His attention now is firmly on the challenge of another championship. After Limerick watched on last Sunday, they get to fire their opening shots tomorrow on Leeside.
His fitness restored, Morrissey retakes his place on the squad. A 12th campaign at this and the anticipation is heightened as much as ever.
“As a player, it’s just what you look forward to. Getting stuck into Munster championship again. So exciting times. Hopefully, get off to a winning start, that always eases the pressure.”
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A decade on from debut, Ahane hurling idols, and how Limerick's core remains intact
THE CHAMPIONSHIP JOURNEY began back in June 2016, pressed into action as a second-half substitute by then manager TJ Ryan.
Tom Morrissey marked that personal Limerick milestone with a late goal, not enough to alter the outcome, but even in defeat he was able to depart Semple Stadium with a scoring memento.
“I was on the panel in 2015 and we had won the 21s All-Ireland in 201. Going back into 2016, then I got given a nice bit of game time in the league. We were 1B at the time.
“So when the championship was coming around, I remember I was pushing for a starting place. We had players coming back from injury, and we had an influx of Na Piarsaigh lads coming back in after the league as well.
“So just lost out on the starting place for championship. Probably was a small bit frustrated, Back at that stage, you’re a young fella trying to push in, impatient.
“You just want to make your senior debut, it’s what you’ve probably built your whole career, since you were a young child really. That’s been the goal to put on the Limerick senior jersey.
“It was just good, to get onto the pitch, but unfortunately it definitely wasn’t the fairytale start having lost.”
In the decade since things improved on individually and collectively. He became a permanent fixture in the Limerick half-forward line at a time of unimaginable glory.
Five All-Ireland accumulated as part of the team’s dominance, three All-Stars collected as proof of his own rise.
Morrissey has been a constant presence, which is why his bystander role on league final day due to injury was a jarring experience.
“My injury history throughout my Limerick career has been good. The last round-robin game of the league against Galway and the league final, those were the first two games in my 12th year with the senior team, that I was unavailable for selection.
“But look, it was frustrating. It would have been nice to have been part of, when it was a home league final.
“I suppose I’d accepted it by the time the day had come around that I wasn’t going to be togging out and playing a part.
“It was a great day, just to have a packed Gaelic Grounds, have a home crowd there, and then to win on top of it. Didn’t get to play on the pitch but, still enjoyed it nonetheless.”
His pathway to this point benefitted from the presence of an older role model at home. Dan operates at the other end of the pitch, anchoring the rearguard, but his development was always monitored closely by his younger brother by three years.
“You’re looking up to him all the steps along, watching him play Tony Forristal at U14 and Arrabawn at U16, and then you progress to the minor team.
“You’re going to those tournaments and hoping that you’re going to be at that stage in three years’ time, each step of the way up, right up until you do get to senior. Just wanted to emulate what he was doing.
“A long time playing together now on the senior team, which has been enjoyable and, and thankfully successful as well.”
There were others to draw inspiration from in the Ahane locality. Ask if the trailblazers from the parish caught his imagination and he casts his mind back immediately to the summer of 2007, and the wondrous adventure Limerick embarked on that culminated in the showpiece defeat to Kilkenny.
“Growing up, it was the biggest summer I remember. They got to the Munster final and All-Ireland final, and would have had that trilogy of games against Tipp in Munster.
“The lads involved in the club at that time were Ollie and Niall (Moran) and Seanie O’Connor. Three of them were starting throughou. I remember the pitch invasion after the last Tipp game that they won in the Gaelic Grounds. A really good summer’s evening. Just the whole summer there was great excitement.”
The wheel turns. The beginning of his club senior days overlapped with the closing chapter of trio’s careers. They shared dressing-rooms then, now Morrissey looks around and realises he’s cast as the elder statesman at home.
He turns 30 in May, yet in the Limerick squad a high level of familiarity remains.
Of the 20 players that saw game-time in the breakthrough All-Ireland senior triumph, 13 are still part of the current panel.
Consider Morrissey’s underage compatriots. From the 2014 minor final defeat to Kilkenny, his forward colleages included Séamus Flanagan, Barry Nash, Cian Lynch, and Peter Casey.
From the 2017 U21 final victory over Kilkenny, a team he captained, the attack contained Nash, Lynch, Casey, Aaron Gillane, and Barry Murphy.
Some have drifted away but the core remains intact and it captures how much Limerick reaped from those underage sides.
“We’ve been on the road a long time together, shared a lot of good days as well, thankfully, which only adds to to good memories. When think about any of your your friends in life they’re going to be people that you share big life milestones and life memories with.
We’ve been lucky to share a lot of the best days of our lives together, so naturally, we’re going to be a very close group.”
He shifted his focus in the last couple of off-seasons. Spent the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 touring around South America.
Last December it was Central America where he based himself for a month, before landing back in time for Dan’s wedding after Christmas.
“Went to Guatemala, Panama and Belize. It was enjoyable now, cool part of the world. Got a few of those ticked off just last year, but still plenty more of the world to explore. The year before had missed Christmas, didn’t come home until the end of January.
“December’s a good time in Ireland, so it nice to come home for that, get the Christmas buzz, and then having a family wedding as well.”
His attention now is firmly on the challenge of another championship. After Limerick watched on last Sunday, they get to fire their opening shots tomorrow on Leeside.
His fitness restored, Morrissey retakes his place on the squad. A 12th campaign at this and the anticipation is heightened as much as ever.
“As a player, it’s just what you look forward to. Getting stuck into Munster championship again. So exciting times. Hopefully, get off to a winning start, that always eases the pressure.”
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GAA Hurling Limerick Tom Morrissey