Shane McGrath: 'Hannon is getting better and better'

After their opening day loss to Cork in Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League, Shane McGrath still feels Limerick are a bit further on than this time last year and adds that Declan Hannon is now more than ever a pivotal presence in the All-Ireland champions' set up.

The Treaty were undone late on at Páirc Uí Chamoimh; a last-gasp Shane Kingston point saw the Rebels take the points on offer.

In 2022, Limerick won only one league game out of five, but were much more in the tune come the championship, where eventually they completed a hat-trick of All-Ireland titles.

In assessing their performance on Leeside, Shane McGrath feels John Kiely's side "definitely are ahead of where they were last year in terms of their physical conditioning and training".

The two-time All-Ireland winner with Tipperary was speaking on the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, and added: "Compared to Wexford [opening league game] last year, I thought the Limerick lads were a little bit more sluggish than they were against Cork.

"It was a fast-paced game. I could name 10 lads who'd be on the Limerick championship 15 who didn't feature, such is the depth of talent they have."

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McGrath then went on the single out Declan Hannon's contribution to the Limerick cause. In heaping praise on the player who mans the '40, McGrath said: "Declan Hannon is getting better and better. If you could make a video of how to jab-lift a ball well within a group with a short grip, it's Declan Hannon. He's just so good at the simple