Cathal O’Neill says Cork Munster final was 'mentally draining' for Limerick

Limerick hurler Cathal O’Neill has suggested that the manner of his side’s Munster final defeat to Cork last summer may have taken more out of them than was immediately visible, and contributed to the champions’ flat All-Ireland quarter-final exit to Dublin weeks later.

Speaking at the launch of the upcoming Co-Op Superstores Munster Senior Hurling League campaign, O’Neill acknowledged that the provincial decider, in which Cork dragged Limerick through extra time and penalties before eventually prising the crown from their grasp, may have taken more out of Limerick than they realised at the time.

“In the Munster final, we were always aware that we could lose the game,” O’Neill begins. “Cork are a really good team, so I suppose, to lose in the manner that we did, after the length of time that it went on for, it was just maybe mentally draining.

“But look, you can't take that away from Dublin on the day, they were super on the day, and they took their chances, and we just have to bounce back this year.” 

That cumulative fatigue was part of a wider picture when Limerick came unstuck against Dublin, O’Neill suggests, rather than any single, decisive failing.

“A number of things maybe,” he says. “Look, Dublin were brilliant on the day as well, you can't take that away from them. And maybe we were sub-par, so probably just a combination of everything. Maybe the Munster final took it out of us too.

COMBINATION

“It's hard to know. But a combination of things, and Dublin obviously just caught us on a good day.” 

And what of the red card for Dublin, did that play into Limerick’s undoing?

“It's hard to know looking back, so long ago now as well. Maybe,” he admits. “Obviously your psychology, maybe when a man gets sent off, maybe you can relax.

“I don't know, but sometimes again it galvanises that 14-man team, so maybe it did have some sort of factor.” 

For a group so used to setting the pace nationally, the abrupt end to last season still stings. O’Neill says that disappointment remains, even as Limerick seek to convert it into momentum.

“We’re all bitterly disappointed with how last year ended. But that's sport.

“We just have to turn the chapter now and go again this year and try to be bigger, better and stronger this year. And hopefully we're laying the foundations in December and January to do so.” 

The Munster championship is a battle for every team, every season. Regaining top billing for Limerick is an ambition, but survival comes first.

“It’s just to get out of Munster,” he says, of their hopes. “Any way you can get out of Munster, because it's really, really hard to get out of it. So please God we'll get top spot, second or third spot and get out of Munster.

“Our focus every year is Munster. That's the competition, you can't be thinking about All-Irelands at the start of the year, so just focussing on Munster, it's very hard to win, it's very competitive.” 

Despite the narrative that followed their 2025 exit, O’Neill is keen to stress that Limerick do not see themselves as far removed from the summit. They are still there as one of the primary contenders.

“We weren't that far off and we've had years where the bounce of the ball has gone our way and maybe we were doing something wrong as well.

“You can look at it that way as well, so we were never that far away. Obviously, we need to change things and get better,” he outlines. “But you can't go down the rabbit hole of looking at things like that.

“We weren't that far away either, so it's just about getting better and looking forward to 2026 and trying to build upon each day we go out.” 

RETURN

Part of that recalibration has seen the return of sports psychologist Caroline Currid, a move O’Neill says has already brought a renewed sense of calm to the group.

"We've nearly all worked with Caroline so we know what she brings,” O’Neill says. “Obviously she's a huge player favourite and we were all in favour of her coming back.

“She kind of brings that bit of calmness to the group so we're just delighted to have her back and delighted to be working with her for the coming year.

“She kind of is that mother figure for us, we're able to bounce ideas off her.

“If we have a problem, we can go to her. She's just that calming voice and you can be sure that she's going to make it somewhat better or go away completely. We're just really happy to have her back."