LIMERICK HURLER Paudie McNamara has denied there was ever any pressure put on him to join the 2008 panel members in their self-imposed exile and instead declared his faith in manager Justin McCarthy for the championship season.

Speaking at the launch of the Munster championship in Adare yesterday, McNamara said the decision to play on under McCarthy was entirely his own and motivated solely by the desire to wear the Limerick jersey.

“The winter has been hard,” he said. “Myself, all I wanted to do was get back training again, get myself in shape and try to hurl the best I can. The lads from last year believed in something, that they thought they would stand up for themselves.

“Myself, I’m inexperienced enough. I thought I might never wear a Limerick jersey again. I thought I had to stick around. Nobody put me under pressure to follow anyone else.

“There was a lot of stuff going out around, saying everybody was under pressure. I never got any phone calls or anything like that. There are a lot of rumours going around. But it is enjoyable at the moment.

“Justin’s one of the legends of the game for his coaching. He can’t be questioned about things he’s won. His record is probably the second best in all of Ireland behind Brian Cody. You can’t go against that, really.”

McNamara is in his second year on the senior panel, and although the majority of last year’s panellists opted out – some unwillingly so, when dropped by McCarthy, and the rest by their own accord – he was always intent on staying on:

“Look, when you put the jersey on your back, it could be the last time you wear it. You have to go out and be proud of wearing your county jersey. It’s been hard, but there’s a lot of young lads there and they’re fighting for their places and being honest, from the panel from last year, a lot of these lads would make the panel anyway. There are a few good lads there and all we can is hope for the best.

“In fairness to the guys from last year, everybody left it up to themselves. Everyone made their own decision, there was no pressure put on anyone so in fairness to the lads from last year, they never put anyone under pressure, really.”

McNamara agreed it was unlikely any of the exiled players would return at this stage, and that no one should put pressure on them either: “No not really. They believe in something so they’re well entitled to stand on their own two feet. It’s not for me to decide whether they come back or not, it’s up to themselves. I’ve been talking to a few of them all right. It’d be no talk about hurling, just life really. Nothing about hurling.”

Limerick’s league campaign ended in relegation – and a hammering from Dublin – and although they’re straight into the lion’s den when they face either Cork or Tipperary in the Munster semi-final on June 20th, McNamara remains relatively upbeat.

“Limerick down the years have been known for great heart and determination and the pride of the jersey. You have to get on with it. Not everything is going to be perfect anyway. Tipp or Cork, sure you’d be under pressure any day you play them. We’ll be up against it. It’s going to be very tough for us.”