Clare hurler Shane O’Donnell was on Friday’s OTB AM and spoke about the key men who could decide this weekend's Munster Championship Final.
For Limerick, Aaron Gillane was singled out as pivotal to his side’s hopes of winning a first Munster title since 2013, with his prowess in the air particularly noted.
“Even difficult ball, ball in the air - it doesn’t seem to really matter. He has an extremely high percentage of getting ball to hand. They do set up very well and give him the space to operate, but still, in fairness to him, every ball that goes in he manages to get his hands on.
“It’s just extremely dangerous that he can catch those balls that are kind of awkward that a back might commit to and suddenly he’s in around the back and in on goal. Those opportunities seem to present themselves to him, really more than anyone in the Limerick forwards,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell has plenty of experience in the full-forward line himself and noted how crucial it was for full-forwards to stay involved even when their chances may be drying up.
“I know people mention it a lot but feeling like you’re in the game helps a lot. You can go for long swathes of the game, five, 10 minutes in a row where you don’t get a ball or get a ball that comes near you, never mind a ball.
"So I feel like that’s good having a member of your full-forward line taking your frees,” O’Donnell said of Gillane.
Maher missing out could be crucial
While Tipperary go into this match in fine form they will have to do without Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
While Tipp still have plenty of firepower, Maher’s style of play is exactly what tends to cause problems for sides that employ such a solid structure in defence like Limerick.
“He’s one of the best in the country for just taking on those balls with a bit of brute force and just making his way through the half-back line. It’s difficult though because to get that run going the midfield are essentially coming back onto that so even if you break the half-back line the midfielders are tracking so deep so they’d almost pick you up.
“But Bonner is certainly a big loss but on top of them playing Limerick it’s even more significant,” O’Donnell said.
The two sides face off at the LIT Gaelic Grounds at 2 pm in the 2019 Munster Hurling Championship Final.
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