Ahead of the start of the new hurling season, Martin Fogarty says other counties must focus on matching the sublime skill levels of Limerick if they want to dethrone them.
Fogarty has just recently completed a five-year term as the GAA's national hurling development manager and says the game is currently in a phenomenal place at the top level.
While a huge focus remains on Limerick’s physical conditioning, he reckons it’s the Shannonsiders' proficiency under pressure that really sets them apart.
"You hear a lot of talk going around about their conditioning, but Limerick have a very talented batch of players, their skill levels are absolutely superb, and they didn’t come out of nowhere," Fogarty says.
"As a group they have everything you want in a team, skill, speed and power – and I feel other teams must focus on aspiring to get up to those skill levels. By that I mean working on the ability to put a ball into a lad’s hand from 70m out whilst on the run, slotting it over the bar from diagonal runs, they have those executed to a very high degree.
"They consistently perform those skills at the highest level and that’s why I’m looking forward to the league – and the championship.
"Remember, the best of teams are only ever one game from defeat and you never know when that defeat is coming and despite the perceived gap between Limerick and the rest I think there are plenty in the pack who can hope to catch them."
With his term complete, Fogarty looks back on five years that saw well over 1,000 coaching sessions completed across every county. Like Paudie Butler before him, in the region of 300,000 miles were clocked up on his car. With no indication of a replacement as of yet, Fogarty says the game is in a good place at the top level at the moment.
He also admits that in weaker counties it is struggling for life – with a recent survey indicating that club hurling is in crisis in 13 counties at least.
"At the top the inter-county game is absolutely phenomenal, and I can only marvel at skill levels. In middle tiered counties the game and skill levels are decent too. In weaker counties the interest in the game from those promoting it is absolutely phenomenal, but the problem is there are only a small number of clubs, players don’t have enough games or opportunities. When they do play the level is very good considering all of that. And the interest is unbelievable."
Fogarty knows structures have to change at the bottom for the game to grow.
He feels there is slow progress, bit by bit. He would like clubs that promote hurling in the weaker counties to receive a small grant to cover travel and equipment expenses and he would like those counties not to be compromised by fixture-makers.
Under his watch, the creation of the Táin Óg Leagues for underage players and the Cúchulainn Cup for adults - have already had a hugely positive impact by giving isolated clubs a meaningful programme of matches.
Both competitions were established to provide meaningful and regular matches for clubs in developing counties who are desperate for them. The series is held across 11 developing hurling counties - Armagh, Louth, Down, Cavan, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Roscommon, Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, and Longford
"The big thing for the GAA is to cultivate the game in those counties and to make sure the Táin Óg and Cúchulainn competitions are allowed to breathe and there is no interference.
"I have seen players been taken away from games with their clubs by club and county football managers who want them for training only and stop them hurling.
"What sportspeople need is games and meaningful competition where it’s hard to win. And they need to know games will be played in a set, defined period of time with a good variety of opposition and a few grades if possible.
"We are getting there with the grades and those competitions will revolutionise hurling up the country – if they are allowed to run properly. But they need the support of county boards with fixtures. That’s an area that’s improving and I would say there is 90 per cent co-operation from county boards.
"Now I am more looking at county coaches and club coaches and the carnage they can cause sometimes, in pulling players away from their hurling teams.
"If these competitions run properly, they will thrive and we will attract more hurlers."
Fogarty spent much of the five years ring-fencing specific days for those cups, helping club and county senior and underage squads and designing coaching courses and workshops.
"Little by little we are getting there," he said. "People in the GAA are realising we have two great games that can sit side by side. You still have some mavericks that don’t want to see the game happening or thriving, but they are a minority now."
He feels the game itself is in a decent state and is satisfied that the trend of persistent fouling is being dealt with by referees.
"Last year I spoke out about the pulling and dragging that was going on in the game and I stand over that, I like to see game flowing and don’t like see lads’ arms pulled, clamped or prevented from playing the ball.
"The handpass is an area that is getting a lot of attention but to me it’s down to coaching from managers really – I always coached players to let there be no doubt that they were handpassing. I think if that is done more it would help."
He looks back on his term in office and says he was privileged to have had the role.
"Humbling is the word, really," the Kilkenny man states. "When you come from the land of milk and honey in hurling terms and get to go up to these places and see struggles and the absolute passion people have, you think again.
"If I lived there, I don’t honestly know if I would have had the same passion to stay with the game because of all the struggles they have to keep hurling going.
"I was honoured to see this struggle in person. It’s easy to love the game when you are winning All Irelands and getting a Garda escort into Croke Park. "
"But go to a county where there might only be four teams and managers have to draw players from five nearby football clubs just to make a team. Those are the people they should have the statues up for.
"And that’s the one thing that does sting me. We have a great game and volunteers, and I would love to see more support for those people. There is progress, though, and, as I say, the game is just phenomenal right now at the highest level. It’s getting the club game at lower levels up to a standard where there is regular and meaningful competition.
"Things would flow much better from there."
