Lucey points to harmony in the camp

There are thousands of GAA stories to tell. Stephen Lucey is one of the more interesting ones. Hurler, footballer and doctor.

The difficulty of a top player balancing his profession with the increasing professional attitude adopted by intercounty panels has been well documented. Leinster outhalf Felipe Contepomi proved it is possible to be a medical student and international rugby star but Gaelic football, hurling and the arduous life of a doctor? Surely it can't be done.

"I've been lucky in the last few years that I picked a route that was quieter. I couldn't have managed it if I'd done surgery. Possibly a GP. It's what I've always wanted to do and I've been lucky that the people I've worked with have always been understanding and helped me do what I want to do. It was definitely very hard when I was in Dublin and I was playing hurling and football with UCD too.

"The football under Liam Kearns was always understanding but the hurling was always a lot harder when I was starting to get on the panel and trying to establish myself from so far away, but I'm back in Limerick a few years now and it's grand."

Something eventually had to give. The Limerick footballers face Louth this Saturday without Dr Lucey.

Lucey played a notable role in taming the Tipperary full-forward line in the three memorable matches that finally yielded Limerick's first championship win since 2001. Because of football commitments, it was Lucey's first victory for the senior hurlers.

It means nothing this week. Until the epic trilogy, Waterford were the hurling story of 2007. National League champions, slayers of Cork and finally looking complete enough to fulfil the promise of recent times.

"They're going in for an All-Ireland where we were looking for our first victory in a Munster championship for six years.

"We had to get that monkey off our back. It'll be weird playing anybody other than Tipperary . . . Now we're playing Waterford and they're a different animal altogether. They've classy forwards and they're on fire. I think they played their under-21s in a couple of challenge matches and got 7-49. That was one of the scores in one of the games. But you can't count us out."

No you cannot. Limerick hurling attitudes have changed. They are no longer at each other's throats. The manager is no longer facing a swinging door policy.

"The players said we had to take our share of the blame and rightly so. It's not just the managers. It's a combination of things and it just went haywire so many times. It's a relief just to get a bit of harmony going in the camp. We've got it right on the field too so it's paid off."

Almost by accident Richie Bennis - who played on the last Limerick team to win an All-Ireland in 1973 - ascended to the high chair of hurling manager.

"I have to be careful with what I say about Richie, he's a gas man. He's very passionate. You can see the way he goes around, the way he gives interviews. It's good to have somebody like him. The managers we've had are different with different strengths. His strengths are his passion and he gives his all and we really respect him. He does know his hurling. Hurling is going through his veins. He played in 1973 and he's been a fantastic stalwart for Limerick hurling over the years. It's great to have him on board."

So, for a change, Limerick are smiling. The salient question remains, though, can they keep apace when the Waterford attack begins to rage? "You can only say when the ball is thrown in . . . They're on the crest of a wave and we don't know what way we're going to be until we go out on the field. We'll have to wait and see."