Coleman will be plying his trade with the footballers in Division 4 of the National League next year after suffering a second consecutive relegation. Today, they face London in the third round of the Tailteann Cup in Parnell Park. Asked if he was jealous of the hurlers’ prosperity, he offered a firm rebuttal.
“Jealous? I don’t know about jealousy now. Obviously we are all wearing the same jersey, we are all wearing the Limerick crest and we are incredibly proud of what they’ve done over the last five, six years and winning All-Irelands.
“So I wouldn’t say we are jealous, and I’d say if anything we are delighted to be associated with them in some sense. In fairness, they are probably going to go down as one of the best hurling teams that has ever been seen in a sense if they go on and do it this year as well. So jealousy, I wouldn’t say we are jealous at all.”
Coleman, a civil engineer with the ESB, based in Ardnacrusha, is in his third year on the Limerick senior panel.
“I came in under Billy [Lee] and we got to a Munster final that year [2022] and we got to a Division 3 final [against Louth]. I was extremely lucky when I came in that I got to experience a Munster final and being part of a team playing at Croke Park first hand.”
Limerick had a difficult league this year, losing all seven matches, before going down to Cork by 11 points in the Munster quarter-finals, having led by a point at half-time.
Down beat them by 14 points in the opening Tailteann match but Limerick revitalised their qualification hopes with a win over Offaly.
“Our focus was to perform throughout the league, which unfortunately we didn’t do, and then put in a performance against Cork,” says Coleman, who plays for Rathkeale. “We feel that we did put in a good performance against Cork, especially for the first 35 minutes. The black card [issued to Cathal Downes shortly before the interval] kind of threw things a bit, but we lost and going forward the end goal is the Tailteann Cup.
“Getting to play at Croke Park is definitely what we are looking at. Playing in Croke Park, finishing in the top two and at the end of the year we want to be lifting that Tailteann Cup.”
He complimented the input of former manager Billy Lee and the current incumbent, his brother Jimmy.
“The time and effort that he [Billy] put into Limerick was absolutely ridiculous. Between his work and his family I don’t know how he managed to juggle it.
“They are a credit to Limerick football, all the Lees – Billy and Jimmy. Jimmy is the manager now and I can’t say enough good words about him.”
Coleman said they had their own distinctive styles of management.
“You can’t really compare them, they are two completely different people. Jimmy is there to delegate coaches and things like that because that’s where he comes from in his work background.
“Billy was similar but he was more involved as well. But it’s very difficult to compare them, even though they are two brothers and you should be able to compare them.
“But in terms of personalities they are two different people.”
Last year, Limerick reached the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup, beaten by a goal against Laois.
Along with today’s opponents, London, they look set for the preliminary quarter-finals next weekend with Down the favourites to take the top spot in the group.
