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.
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 down the stretch, it will be straight forward to focus attention in training.
"It’s a perfect situation for John Kiely," he said.
We're not blowing them up, we are just stating the facts. They are the best team in the country
"Missing nine or 10 of the best players in the country, he wins the match by six points pulling up. Yet he can still go back to them in training and say, 'that’s not good enough. Do you want to be on this panel or not?’
"That’s why they are number one and we’re all playing catch up.
"Adam English. Did he take his chance? I think he did. It was epitomised by the way he gave that ball into Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (for the goal).
"Then Micheál Houlihan. He was interviewed after the match and he said, ‘the work is hard, but the hard work is enjoyable’. I think that is what the group is all about.
"The regulars are being kept on their toes by the likes of Adam English, Michael Houlihan and Colin Coughlan.
"Shane O’Brien is coming in as an 18, 19-year-old and saying, ‘come here Seamie Flanagan, if it’s not working out, I want that jersey.
"That’s why they are so good. Everybody is keeping everybody on their toes."
Former inter-county referee Barry Kelly believes Kiely will be delighted to see the impact of the youngsters given the relative lack of change to his starting XV since the breakthrough 2018 season.
"Limerick have been unbelievably settled the last four or five years," he said.
"I'd say Kiely deep down would like... they're going for five out of six, it's hard to win that many All-Irelands without some kind of changeover.
"You just don't see it. The last team we saw that was that settled was the Kerry team in football back in the 70s. Even the Dublin team that dominated football over the last five, six, seven years never had the exact same team out."
McGrath admits that Clare were "a country mile off it" at the weekend, but even allowing for that, Limerick’s hunger and clinical edge was there for all to see, even among the players who wouldn't be as familiar to people outside the county.
"They are in a great place. When they get everybody back, it is going to be some nightmare to pick that team.
"We’re not blowing them up, we are just stating the facts. They are the best team in the country."
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