Dan Shanahan is backing Limerick and Kilkenny for provincial glory this weekend.
Limerick and Clare drew in Ennis last month but the 2007 Hurler of the Year thinks that John Kiely's men will prevail in Sunday's Munster final. "It's a hard game to call but, head on the block, I'm going to go for Limerick. They're going for four in a row. If they win this game, they're in a semi final with Cian Lynch back the next day. They will have another two or three weeks of recovery in the legs. I give a slight nod to Limerick. I can't wait to sit down and watch it and just see how they hop off each other. These two could be there at the end of the year as well."
Shanahan respects the work Brian Lohan is doing with Clare. The Banner men are unbeaten this summer. "What has impressed me most is the way Brian Lohan has gone about his business. He wasn't meant to get the job, other fellas got it ahead of him when he went for it. He stuck with it and he stuck with it and I admire Brian Lohan for doing that. He has brought what he did himself on the field: his aggression, his hunger. You can see him up and down the line and his passion for the Clare jersey and the Clare people."
Galway and Kilkenny will go head to head in Croke Park in the Leinster final at 7 o'clock on Saturday. Shanahan says that the late start is unfair on fans. "Disappointing that it's on a Saturday at 7 o'clock for both sets of supporters. It should be on an hour or two earlier, maybe 5 o'clock so they can go and enjoy it and get back home to celebrate or commiserate."
The handshake between Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin was a big talking point when the sides met in Salthill but Shanahan felt it was blown out of proportion. "I didn't read much into the handshake to be honest with you. It's one of those things. I don't think there was any malice in it. I know what it's like when the camera catches you at the wrong time! It didn't look anything to me."
He feels that the Cats will complete three in a row. "Kilkenny are coming into this game after being beaten by Wexford in their home ground. The pressure is on Galway to perform and win and that's when Kilkenny are dangerous. They have lost two games against two big teams Wexford and Galway and they've only beaten Westmeath, Laois and Dublin to get here. They can count themselves lucky they're here but yet they're 75 minutes away from being in a semi final. You can't write them off. Eoin Cody will thrive on the space in Croke Park. TJ Reid didn't get it all his own way against Matthew O'Hanlon so he'll be hurting. I will not write off this Kilkenny team because they have serious hurlers."
Listen back to the full interview from Friday's Lár Na Páirce.
