Treaty tyros keeping Limerick top of the tree

The calibre of Limerick players pushing for a starting place is keeping the Treaty men well out in front in the hurling pecking order, according to Shane McGrath.

John Kiely's side steamrolled Clare for the majority of the contest on Saturday night at the Gaelic Grounds, with a late Banner rally putting a better gloss on the scorline, the visitors leaving with a six-point defeat that felt far greater.

Micheál Houlihan, son of former Limerick midfielder Mike, couldn't have asked for a better debut, claiming a dozen points in a player of the match performance.

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With a number of players unavailable for Kiely, it was the performances by those looking to make an impression that stood out.

Adam English was called into action after just eight minutes when David Reidy was forced off and a tidy display from the Doon man was marked with a brace of points, while Donnacha Ó Dálaigh raised a green flag after his introduction.

In the full-forward line, Shane O’Brien picked off two points and won three frees for Houlihan to tap over on his first league start.

In defence Ciarán Barry got 70 minutes under his belt while Fergal O’Connor’s outing ended when he received a knock to the head before half-time.

Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, former Tipperary player McGrath says the Limerick manager is in an ideal place as they gear up for their three-in-a-row bid this summer and a fifth Liam MacCarthy in six years.

The experimental side won well, but with the Banner outscoring them 1-09 to 1-01 coming