By Brian McDonnell
Sports Editor
JUSTIN McCarthy has been given a timely boost with the news that Bruree's James O'Brien has re-joined the embattled manager's senior hurling squad.
County secretary Mike O'Riordan confirmed on Wednesday morning that O'Brien (right) returned to training on Tuesday night (March 2).
"Basically we are hopeful that even more players will come back," county secretary Mike O'Riordan explained.
"The door is still firmly open for players to return to the panel and we hope they will," O'Riordan added.
James O'Brien made his debut for Limerick in 2003 and has played on 16 occasions since then scoring ten points.
Next Tuesday night, March 9, a County Board meeting will be hosted by Claughaun with the impasse concerning Justin McCarthy's squad almost certain to be discussed.

Interesting development, hopefully a few more will return. O brien is a good addition in my opinion as we are certainly lacking big forwards.

utd (USA) - Posts: 150 - 03/03/2010 18:55:32    578351

It can only be good to get the 3 other lads back next week

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 03/03/2010 19:48:17    578423

O'Mahoney and others expected to return tomorrow night, this is great news fair play to them.

alfa_man (Limerick) - Posts: 25 - 03/03/2010 19:57:54    578442

James O'Brien has returned to the fold. Word on the street is that Dinny Moloney and Gavin O'Mahoney are returning tomorrow night. Interesting twist to the tale it must be said. I believe RTE radio interviewed Jerome O'Connell about it this evening and he said more could return and the TV cameras are expected at training tomorrow night to see who turns up.

Limericklover (Limerick) - Posts: 56 - 03/03/2010 20:15:46    578491

omahony and who else another thread says hickey is going travelling if this is true its a huge blow because the rebuilding process starts here and you guys need hickey to be a part of it

stekhli (Dublin) - Posts: 3121 - 03/03/2010 20:19:28    578501

Whats important for LK Hurling is for the best LK players to be on the field of play. whatever it takes to achieve this is all that counts.

bookie (Limerick) - Posts: 438 - 03/03/2010 20:46:22    578552

TV Cameras????????? it could be all ticket!!!!! Not sure whats happening but something needs to give. For Limericks Sake!

spectator73 (Limerick) - Posts: 57 - 03/03/2010 21:23:27    578601

Great news. Hopefully more will come back. Can anyone shed light on Seamus Hickey? If he is travelling then that is the single biggest blow to our panel this year.

Mick14 (Limerick) - Posts: 766 - 04/03/2010 09:03:31    578686

This move will no doubt be viewed by the CB as an endorsement of Justin, and a rallying cry for more to follow. They were very quick to shout it from the rooftops. If anything, it highlights the fact that the decision to stay away or go back to Justin's panel is, and always has been, a voluntary one. While some people might think that this is a brave move on his part, many more will loook upon it as undermining his own credibility, after having signed the Players statement.

treatyspartan (Limerick) - Posts: 212 - 04/03/2010 09:54:38    578716

If a player like O'Mahony comes back that will be very interesting as with all due respect to James he was not one of the star names. How quickly will Justin drop the players he described as the "future of limerick hurling" if more players come back. Hickey would be a huge blow if he is gone for the year

SirShaughs (Limerick) - Posts: 388 - 04/03/2010 11:38:25    578805

Just one question on James O' Brien, if we had all our players back would he be good enough for a starting place, also looking at his intercounty career 10 points scored in 4 - 5 years, hardly going to set the world alight

JohnnyBravo (Limerick) - Posts: 35 - 04/03/2010 11:46:12    578812

TreatySpartan,

No he prob woke up when a well know member/ring leader of that group was seen in kilmallock at the Galway match, shows what a plank that individual is when he does that.
Also maybe that James is a senseable guy and realised that he rather hurl than drink.
As far as im concerned all that left did for their own gains and tarnished Limerick Hurling in doing so, made even worse if the Semi last year.

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 04/03/2010 12:00:46    578830

This move will no doubt be viewed by the CB as an endorsement of Justin, and a rallying cry for more to follow. They were very quick to shout it from the rooftops. If anything, it highlights the fact that the decision to stay away or go back to Justin's panel is, and always has been, a voluntary one. While some people might think that this is a brave move on his part, many more will loook upon it as undermining his own credibility, after having signed the Players statement.
treatyspartan , 04/03/2010 at 09:54
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ah come on treaty, you were exposed on this forum a long time ago. That said over the past months you've put your point of view across very well but this latest contribution comes across as a bitter and personnel attack on James O'Brien and that's not very fair. You've always said that the players weren't on strike and that all 24 volunteered to leave the panel based on their own free will. Now when one player returns you question that players credibility. When more players return tonight will you question those credibility too?

We can safely say that the dispute is now almost over. However, if more disputes are to be avoided in the future then no one can be allowed claim victory. If Justin or the county board think that they have won then we will be in for more disputes in the future. The county board and Justin must now show some humility towards the remaining striking players. The rifts caused by this dispute must be fully healed if Limerick hurling is to return to it's rightful place and that will require some sacrifice from all sides.

cove (None) - Posts: 683 - 04/03/2010 12:21:43    578850

freetaker i for one am sick to of hearing crap about drink spoken the whole time. I know for a FACT that these lads are not out drinking every weekend in fact for most of them no weekends . So what if some of the ex players want to go and see the new set up . They left beause of JUSTIN but still love hurling and would love to play for their county and are willing to support the young lads that are playing for justin(a man of very little credibility in my opinion). Justin and his back room team are using the media to make James O'briens return alot bigger that it is and i ask the question why did James bother to sign the statement if he is goign to come back but John Tuohy was a bruree trainer and to me has alot to do with it .
Let james go back,let any player that wants to return, but stop this cutting of the 08/09 panel these lads show alot more dignity than Justin and his back room team and were in this limerick team for the love of hurling not for MONEY!!!!!
Get rid of Justin and bring back the lads we need to progress but i dont think thats going to happen this year and the county board should be ashamed of themselves

sammy27 (Limerick) - Posts: 45 - 04/03/2010 12:31:33    578860

BADGER

jojojojo (USA) - Posts: 2 - 04/03/2010 12:51:22    578905

Sammy where and when has justin and his backroom team shown a lack of dignity??

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 04/03/2010 12:58:12    578921

Presently they are showing it justin knows limerick hurling is in crisis and its because of him its this way we could be relegated this year . WE NEED SOME of the 09 panel back to get anywhere and to be honest JUSTIN wasnt the man for Waterford and isnt the man for limerick. all the PLAYERS cant be wrong and Justin is a media man and knows too well how to work it from people close to him and runs to the papers with anything he can find to fasten his position

sammy27 (Limerick) - Posts: 45 - 04/03/2010 13:47:50    578981

Cove, I wouldn't consider stating the obvious to be a bitter and personal attack on the chap - just being the devil's advocate! By all accounts he is a very likeable fella, and I wouldn't see any problem with him wanting to represent Limerick. But why leave the panel and then sign your name to such a strongly worded statement and then do a major U turn? Maybe I'm missing something here, but does that not leave him open to criticism from fellow team mates and some of the wider Limerick GAA public.

treatyspartan (Limerick) - Posts: 212 - 04/03/2010 13:52:58    578986

sammy27 get your facts right before you post, i for one witnessed and was part to alot of this drinking. I can tell your stories of Borat dances, dancing on tables with no pants, hitting each other on the arm for 30 mins lol. Lock ins in a well known pub and House parties till 8am.
Not all party to it, several like myself could behave but it would shock you what i saw.

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 04/03/2010 13:54:59    578989

Treaty, surely a man is entitled to change his mind. I understand that you're probably disappointed with that decision and that's fair enough but if lads want to come back onto the panel they should be allowed to.

I hope some more lads come back tonight and I also hope that there's no triumphalism either. The rift needs to be healed if Limerick hurling is to move on. This means that the county board and justin must be humble in victory and the 2009 players must not be bitter in defeat.

cove (None) - Posts: 683 - 04/03/2010 14:32:47    579049