Kyle Hayes
The Kildimo-Pallaskenry man knows the position, and has won underage titles here with Limerick.
The issue is what they lose from wing-back if Hayes is not an option to make his Jack McCaffrey-esque bursts into the opposition half.
Even if he doesn’t score another wonder-goal driving from deep as per recent seasons, it is even one less headache for any opposition if they don’t have to plan for those raids.
Diarmaid Byrnes
Plays there for the club, and would like excel at the position but, like Hayes, what would you lose from his role at wing-back?
Byrnes loves to drive forward to score points and can arrow nice deliveries to the forwards, which few can do that to his level.
Dan Morrissey
Morrissey was moved to centre-back in Hannon’s absence for the league final win over Kilkenny, and has plenty of experience in the six jersey.
The question isn’t whether or not Morrissey can fill the role, but whether Limerick can afford to lose him from full-back.
In that league final, Finn was fully fit and with the Bruff man now out of the picture, John Kiely will be reluctant to move another bulwark from there.
Richie English, who like Darragh O’Donovan has played at centre-back for Doon, could come into the full-back line to allow Morrissey out one line of the field.
Verdict
Look, it’s incredibly difficult to know. So much so that perhaps Cian Lynch might even be considered given he played there in a 2016 Munster Under-21 campaign, though this would be the longest of shots.
Morrissey at six and English to the full-back area would likely cause minimal disruption, but then last line of the defence begins to look a little compromised.
Mike Casey is a brilliant defender but is searching for his best form while English has not been a regular starter for some time.
Hayes may well be the man to play six with Coughlan coming in at wing-back.
When all is said and done, Hayes is a brilliant defender, is so commanding on the ball, and few opponents will fancy running down his corridor.
This is what Kiely will most likely go with.
