Limerick full forward Shane O'Brien comes into this afternoon's clash with Cork as Limerick's leading scorer from play so far in the Munster hurling championship.
As John Kiely continues to emphasise the need for increased efficiency from his team, the Limerick number 14 has been leading the way. The 21-year-old has managed to score off almost 40% of his possessions during the Treaty county's opening two games of the Munster round-robin.
All of 78% of O'Brien's possessions across Limerick's draw against Tipperary and win over Waterford have led to a scoring opportunity – 61% of the time he shot himself, with a score the end product of 57% of his total possessions in those contests.
All in all then, when Limerick get the sliotar into the hand of O'Brien, something they have been able to do on average 12 times a game, the end result is usually a scoring opportunity.
His total of 1-08 from play has been bettered only by Tipperary's John McGrath after the first three rounds of action in Munster and he is Limerick's top scorer from play so far this season (league and championship).
O'Brien impressed during a run of five starts during the league campaign, scoring 2-07 from play. Giving him a scoring total of 3-15 so far in 2025, and with that an average of 0-03 per match from play.
Since catching fire against Galway at the Gaelic Grounds in March, he has scored 3-11 in Limerick's last four encounters as he showcases his wide array of talents in the inside line.
Including his three appearances in last year's championship, he now has 1-15 from play in five championship games (three starts).
After making his first back-to-back championship start for Limerick in their six-point victory against Waterford, O'Brien is set to be the only change to the forward line beaten by Cork in last year's All-Ireland semi-final when the sides meet again at the Gaelic Grounds this afternoon.
He has proven an excellent ball winning outlet for his team, thriving in isolation under long and diagonal deliveries, and always showing a scoring intent. Limerick will hope that his development will add an extra dimension to their attack as they seek revenge against a Cork team who they've twice lost to and failed to beat in their last three meetings.
Most often Limerick's deepest inside forward, of O'Brien's 23 possessions so far in this championship, all 11 against Tipperary were inside the opposition 45m line while all but four were inside the 45 against Waterford. With each of those four still coming within the Déise's 65.
Against Tipperary he slotted four points as well as being blocked for one attempt and hitting another wide. He nailed a fantastic goal after receiving a ball on the turn behind his man, and was fouled for another point as well as giving two passes.
One of those resulted in a score and came after one of two turnovers he made while tackling back.
Then against Waterford he again scored four points and had two wides, as well as hitting the post with a goal chance which again materialised from a long ball which he took in behind his man on the turn.
At Walsh Park he was also fouled for a converted free, and gave three passes one of which was the penultimate pass for a score.
Of the 33 passes played into O'Brien so far this championship, 70% of them have stuck with the others either being contested for breaks or won by his marker.
Of those 33 balls delivered into him, 73% were either long, diagonal, or long and diagonal, generally into the full or left corner forward zone allowing him to open up off his left side, with his inside partner Aaron Gillance occupying the right corner more often than not.
Only once have the two combined in general play so far in this Munster campaign, with Gillane flicking down a long ball in from Gearoid Hegarty for O'Brien to score his second point against Tipperary.
The player who has fed O'Brien the most has been his half back Colin Coughlan who graduated from the same Munster-winning Under-20 side in 2022. Coughlan has played in six passes to O'Brien, with two more players from that side - Adam English and Aidan O'Connor - providing a further four passes between them.
Two of those six passes from Coughlan have resulted in 1-01, while Cian Lynch has also provided the assist for two O'Brien scores.
This afternoon Limerick will look to lay down a marker against the Rebels, to do so however they will need to find something different to turnaround their two defeats last year.
While appearing a natural fit at the end of Limerick's trademark long diagonal passes - O'Brien possesses the killer instinct which could well be that extra point of difference this year.
