Cork and Tipp renew old rivalry in crucial game

Well that was some weekend of drama, excitement, extra-time and even heartbreak and it’s just week 1 of the hurling championship! No doubt there is plenty more to come.

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Cork v Tipperary on Sunday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 4pm

As he was preparing for the play-off in the Masters, Rory McIlroy’s caddy Harry Diamond said “you would have taken this at the start of the week”. Cork hurling manager Pat Ryan said something similar in Ennis last Sunday: “I would have taken a point coming up here this morning”.

For all that, Cork were 12 points ahead at half-time and still led with 68 minutes on the clock, but by then captain Rob Downey was off injured and Shane Barrett was off on a red card, which is not being appealed so he’s out for Sunday.

The dynamics of the match changed with the Blarney player’s dismissal on 56th minutes. From there to the finish in the 78th minute, Cork were outscored 1-9 to 0-3, so the point gained in the end could prove vital.

Last year we lost our opening 2 games; now we have 1 point and 2 home games to come.

Players and management will obviously be annoyed at not closing the game out, but Clare are not All-Ireland champions for nothing and we have a poor record in Ennis.

It also dampens down the hype and it also showed there is a world of difference between league and championship.

Tipperary made that point as well, putting the heavy loss to Cork in the final behind them and earning a draw with Limerick, which will give them a huge boost heading back to Leeside.

Tipp got two excellent goals and anytime Limerick looked like building a lead, they clawed it back and they will be determined to banish the league final loss.

The McGraths’ Noel and John, along with Ronan Maher, Robert Doyle, Michael Breen, Eoghan Connolly, Jake Morris, Alan Tynan and Jason Forde displayed enough last Sunday against Limerick to suggest that the league final is consigned to memory and they are ready for the fight.

For Cork there will be a concern that the last 2 games have had similar patterns, excellent first half, not so good second half, although as mentioned playing 14 against 15 did not help.

Pat Ryan will look for and demand a consistent 70 minutes on Sunday.

The Cork 15 is unlikely to change much; Robert Downey is expected to be fit, Cormac O’Brien will not, so Mark Coleman who was solid out should retain the number 7 shirt.

There will be alterations in the attack, especially the half-forward line.

Barrett out of course but who will they opt for? Seamus Harnedy might come under pressure, with Diarmuid Healy, Declan Dalton and Brian Roche all contenders.

The inside line of Hayes, Connolly and Horgan is a given.

Cork ripped Tipperary apart last time, that will not happen on Sunday. Liam Cahill’s side will surely bring more aggression and determination.

Pat Ryan also said the “Munster Championship is a marathon not a sprint and a lot will happen before it is all resolved”.

The 2nd leg of the marathon starts on Sunday and with a consistent 70 minutes needed, I expect Cork to win, not by as comfortable a margin as we saw a few weeks ago, but enough to keep them in the mix and a nice way to start a 3 week break before they play again.

The match is live on C103.

Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship

Cork v Waterford on Friday in Páirc Uí Rinn at 7pm

Munster and All-Ireland champions Tipperary are gone from this championship with 3 defeats in their 3 games while the remaining 4 counties are all still in contention for the top two spots.

As both Cork and Waterford are unbeaten after their 2 games, the winners of this match will be guaranteed progression to the final. If Limerick beat Clare, they could actually meet again in the final.

Cork have been very impressive in their 2 wins away from home, racking up big scores - 2-25 against Limerick and 3-24 in Tulla against Clare.

Waterford have been excellent - a 2 point win in Thurles over Tipp and beating Limerick comfortably in Dungarvan.

These are the best two sides and this has the makings of a cracking contest.

Cormac Spain is their main man in attack; 2-22 to date from play and placed balls and certainly he will need to be curtailed.

Gearoid O’Shea, Shane Power, Hugo Quann, Darragh Murphy and Jamie Shanahan are others who have played key roles.

Cork are a very balanced outfit; in defence Darragh Heavin, Colm Garde and Michael Tadgh Brosnan as well as being excellent defenders are well able to hit long range points.

The midfield pairing of Tom Walsh and Jack Counihan work hard and give the attack a plentiful supply of quality ball.

The Na Piarsaigh duo of Craig O’Sullivan and Callum Coffey have shown their class, 3-15 between then in the win over Clare.

Add in Cormac Deane, Ryan Dineen and Eoghan O’Shea and the Deise rearguard could be in for a busy night.

Waterford though will travel in confidence having won in Thurles which is never easy.

I like the look of this Cork team; they are playing a simple direct style of hurling and Manager Fergal McCormack has built a very united bunch and I expect them to maintain their unbeaten run.

Dalata Hotels Group Munster Under 20 Football Final

Cork v Kerry on Monday at 7.30pm in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

To say that Cork are somewhat fortunate to be in this final, would be putting it mildly, as only a controversial last minute free earned them a draw with Tipperary last time out and that was enough to see them progress.

“Relieved I suppose is the word that immediately springs to mind,” said manager Ray O’Mahoney in the bowls of the stadium after that win.

“We started slowly playing with the wind and then got going late in the half and were playing quite well in the second period but then dropped off which is something we need to work on for the final.”

Cork were also lucky that Tipperary coughed up a late chance to go 2 points up that would have put them into the final.

The introduction of Dara Sheedy was crucial and Ray is also hopeful that Ed Myers might be fit for the final, but he knows they face a huge task.

“Look they gave us a bit of a trimming back in Tralee, they are one of the favourites for the All-Ireland, and we need to really be much better or else it will be another tough night, but we will go away get our rehab done and then focus on the final and give it our best shot.”

There is no doubt Kerry have been the form team winning all 3 games comfortably and in Daniel Kirby, Paddy Lane, Eddie Healy and Ronan Carroll, they have top class players.

The winning margin in Tralee was 10 points and could have been more had they taken goal chances.

For Cork Darragh Clifford, Colin Molloy, Dylan O’Neill, Danny Miskella, Darragh Gough, Sean O’Leary, Sheedy and Bryan Hayes have impressed in what has been a disappointing campaign.

Kerry are raging hot favourites to win and unless Cork show considerable improvement, they will justify that tag.

Camogie and ladies football

With Cork’s senior camogie team safely into the Munster Final and currently on a warm weather training camp in Portugal, the focus is on the minors who play Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Final on Sunday in Nowlan Park at 4.30pm.

The sides met in the group phase and Cork won in Castle Road, and impressed in beating Tipperary in the semi-final, with good displays from captain Rachel Murphy, Ciara Murphy, Shona Cronin, Ava McAuliffe and Millie Lombard.

If they can repeat the level of performance they produced in ending Tipperary’s reign as champions, they will be hard to beat.

Cloughduv on Saturday at 2pm will see the opening game in the round-robin phase on the Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship and a tough opener for Cork as they play Division 1 league and All-Ireland champions Kerry.

It’s Cork’s only home game as they travel to play both Tipp and Waterford and while the provincial championship is separate from the All-Ireland, your finishing position will determine your seeding.

This is a tough ask for Joe Carroll’s side and he will look to improve on the league final display against Galway. If he can get that, he will be happy heading into the other two games which they should be capable of winning.

Cork and Kerry also meet in the Senior B Championship on Saturday in the Legion Grounds Killarney at 6.30pm.

Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship

Cork v Waterford on Wednesday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 7.30pm

Depending on how both sides got on in their games last night (Wednesday), Cork away to Limerick and Waterford away to Tipp, it could either be a dead rubber or a game with the 3rd place on offer.

Tipp will be expected to beat Waterford and if Cork could get a result in Limerick, they might just snatch 3rd place if they win this one.

Heartbreak for footballers

The extra time defeat by Kerry will annoy John Cleary’s men as they head into the qualifiers in 3 weeks time, but it should also give them encouragement and belief.

It was a game that had many talking points not least the dismissal of Cork’s Sean Brady - a dreadful call, and in my view changed the direction of the match. The amount of steps Seán O’Shea took for the 2nd goal was well over what is permitted. Cork did also miss a number of chances. Now they await the draw and hope that the injuries that dogged their league campaign will abate, as there is a lot of football to be played yet.