Former Limerick forward Pat Ryan pinpoints the player John Kiely’s Treaty cannot do without
Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid
Former Limerick attacker Pat Ryan insists that veteran goalkeeper Nickie Quaid is the one player which John Kiely's Treaty squad simply cannot afford to be without.
Ryan, a three-time All-Ireland SHC winner, believes that recent seasons have shown Limerick's ability to cope without a host of big names at different stages but Quaid's absence would be a different story altogether.
"Nickie Quaid," Ryan said without hesitation when asked by ourgame.ie who is the most influential Limerick player. "We've seen over the last few years when Seán Finn was out, Mike Casey came in.
"When Declan Hannon was out, when Cian Lynch and Peter Casey were out, other players were able to come in because they had more experience. Nickie Quaid has never been missed.
"We've never been without him and he's been so good, he'd be the one man that we wouldn't want to be without this year in a Limerick jersey."
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Expanding on what makes the 34-year-old so good at his craft, Ryan highlighted the hours away from the spotlight which the two-time All-Star goalkeeper puts in to be one of the best in the game.
"He definitely is special anyway," Ryan said. "The hours that the goalkeepers put in, it's insane. We'd be training at seven and Nickie is out at six o'clock doing goalkeeping drills for an hour before training.
"They train harder than anyone else and more time goes into it. It's just repetition after repetition after repetition. Where he has brought his game from where he started off is just absolutely incredible.
"The saves he made in the first half against Clare, they were exceptional. They were just unreal and we're so lucky to have him. Please God, he'll stay around for another while yet. I know he has two young kids and he's been there since 2010."
