Diarmaid Byrnes' free-taking dip could leave Limerick vulnerable

The drop in Diarmaid Byrne's free-taking accuracy from 88% to 38% since last year's All-Ireland final leaves Limerick much more vulnerable if this afternoon's game goes to the wire.

Over the years John Kiely's team have mastered how to edge tight contests, yet so far in the 2024 championship the only Limerick match decided by two points or less was their defeat to Cork.

Whereas in their 2023 Munster campaign, all of their games were that close. In that loss to Cork – who Limerick face again in today's All-Ireland semi-final - the usually dead-eye Byrnes scored just two of his six frees as his team were edged by two points.

In contrast, the Patrickswell man top-scored in last year's decider against Kilkenny from right half back, converting seven of his eight frees as well as a monstrous effort from play. The reigning champions' expert long-distance marksman turned the screw on the Cats within a 16-minute period during which he took on six shots, all from beyond the 65m line, and scored them all.

Before that period, Limerick trailed by three. But after his last point they led by five heading into the final 15 minutes. During that stretch he alone outscored Kilkenny, 0-06 to 1-02, one of the all-time great half-backs leading the way as his team completed four in a row and set-up this summer's bid for an historic fifth.

Fast forward almost 12 months and the 2022 Hurler of the Year and four-time All-Star has been a shadow of the player who has so often been the Treaty County's difference maker with his long-range finishing.

Against Cork in round three of the Munster round-robin, Byrnes was in possession of the sliotar in open play on just one occasion.

Throughout the 2024 Hurling Championship he has taken on 31 shots, all from