In-form Aidan O'Connor is leading the charge for a new-look Limerick, according to former Tipperary hurler Shane McGrath.
The first competitive meeting with rivals Cork went the way of the hosts at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night, joining the Rebels at the top of Allianz Hurling League Division 1A with four wins from five.
After a feisty opening 35 minutes, the Treaty men pulled clear in the second half with the possibility that the sides could meet in a league final before the championship clash at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 26 April.
Limerick went with 12 of the side that started last year’s Munster final – compared to seven for Cork – as John Kiely continues to give more and more game time to those not weighed down by multiple Celtic Cross medals.
Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, McGrath is impressed by what he has seen from Limerick.
"At the start of the league I was wondering when are the newer lads going to step up? You can’t keep asking Gillane, Lynch, Hegarty, the Morrisseys, again and again," he said.
"What I saw against Cork was a changing of the guard. The newer lads – well some of the lads have been on the panel three or four years – saying, 'hey, this is our team now, we’ll do this and ye can come in to finish it off.’
"That’s evident in the fact that between Aidan O’Connor, Adam English, Cathal O’Neill, Hugh Flanagan and Shane O’Brien, they got 3-16 out of a tally of 3-19."
The standout player as far as McGrath is concerned is Ballybrown’s Aidan O’Connor.
Buzzing around the half-forward line, he chipped over four points from play in a highly-industrious performance, while his placed-ball skills, from both frees and penalties, is a huge boon for the Treaty men.
"He’s been exceptional, probably player of the league so far," he said. "He just needed a chance. I have seen him up close as a coach with his club Ballybrown and with UL, I’ve seen what he can do. He’s unbelievable."
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