LIMERICK\u2019S LEAGUE CAMPAIGN was a mixed bag, with two wins, two defeats and a draw arriving from their five games.<\/p>\n
It was always going to be difficult to top the 2020 season when they went unbeaten across pre-season, league and championship.<\/p>\n
After failing to win any of their opening three games, they\u2019ve started to motor in recent weeks and posted 0-33 and 3-26 in recent victories over Cork and Westmeath respectively.<\/p>\n
Gearoid Hegarty feels John Kiely\u2019s side are on the right track as the countdown begins to the Munster semi-final showdown with Cork on 3 July.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s been a great league, being honest,\u201d says Hegarty.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a couple of mixed results, but I think our performances have kind of been trending in the right direction. Realistically speaking, yes we\u2019ve had a couple of losses, but that\u2019s not always a terrible thing during the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the worst thing in the world to have a loss that you can reflect on, and see where you went wrong, see what you can improve on.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the worst thing to have a loss so early in the year, one that\u2019s not going to have a huge impact on the championship going forward. It\u2019s kind of nice to have a couple of key areas to identify and work on following a loss.\u201d<\/p>\n
He believes the Treaty are still on an upward trajectory and can surpass the heights they reached for their All-Ireland wins in 2018 and 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think so, without a doubt. It\u2019s nearly like a race, if you\u2019re just trying to maintain your position you\u2019ll be passed out. You\u2019ve got to keep improving and stretching away. I do absolutely believe we have still a good bit of room for improvement.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look at our league performances so far this year, they\u2019ve been a small bit inconsistent. We\u2019ve had two losses and a couple of inconsistent performances here and there. So we do absolutely have massive room for improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He admitted Limerick took a look at their own tackling in the wake of the early rounds when they conceded a high free count. The All-Ireland champions shipped 32 points to frees in their first three games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe definitely looked at it after the first game or two that we were giving away too many frees, without a doubt. Look you can blame everybody bar yourself but at the end of the day we just had to look at ourselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cRealistically the majority of them were frees against us in the first two games and I know there were frustrations in the first couple of games in the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, realistically, when we went back and actually looked at it we\u2019d always look at it on a Tuesday night after the game, we\u2019d always reflect on the game that we\u2019ve just played. Realistically the majority of them were frees.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the onus was on us to improve our tackling efficiency and I think we have done that very well over the last couple of games.\u201d<\/p>\n
A groin injury he picked up against Galway forced the 26-year-old to sit out the games against Waterford and Cork. He returned to action yesterday with a substitute appearance against Westmeath.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just took my time rehabbing it,\u201d he explains. \u201cIn fairness the lads looked after me, making sure when I do come back, I was right.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause as you can imagine, if you go back too soon and then get another little knock, another two or three week injury, you\u2019re nearly out of the first round of the championship. And it\u2019s hard to get back into the team then. So that was it. It was nothing major.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the past, Deise star Austin Gleeson spoke about the pressure he put on himself in the seasons after his Hurler of the Year campaign.<\/p>\n
Hegarty was aware that he may be more of a marked man in 2021 after landing the gong last winter. The St Patrick\u2019s clubman will follow a similar routine to last season in order to get the best out of himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is something I would have had a conversation with Caroline [Currid] our sports psychologist in terms of just trying to replicate how I was feeling last year in terms of going into games,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very laid back and I\u2019ve spoken about how I wasn\u2019t worrying about too much things, like say you didn\u2019t get a good night\u2019s sleep the night before a game or whatever. Just getting back into that mental state where you\u2019re nice and relaxed going into a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019m still in that mindset so far. Obviously, championship hasn\u2019t started yet and time will tell as to how we go this year. But honestly, it\u2019s just focusing on what\u2019s important.<\/p>\n
\n Access exclusive podcasts, interviews and analysis with a monthly or annual membership.\n <\/p>\n
Become a Member<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about getting the most out of yourself in training on a Tuesday night and Friday night, making sure you\u2019re looking after the gym side of things, your nutrition and sleep.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce all those boxes are ticked just forgetting about it until an hour or two before the game, just having the craic with the lads and trying to enjoy it as much.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what works for me, other things work for other players but that\u2019s what I feel works best for me is just relaxing into the game and going from there. I talked in the past that I\u2019m a very reflective person.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d obviously have reflected on last year on what worked for me and what didn\u2019t work for me. Obviously I\u2019ll try keep onto what worked for me and try improve on a small few aspects as well. A work in progress. \u201d<\/p>\n