The first of three? Cork fans need to back the hurlers regardless out of Limerick result
Darragh Fitzgibbon of Cork celebrates during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Limerick and Cork at Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Two rounds of Munster remain, and this Sunday sees Cork travel to the TUS Gaelic Grounds for what’s being billed as a de facto Munster semi-final.
The stakes are high. The winner will be all but guaranteed a place in the final. The loser? Left waiting – and hoping. And realistically, it’s hard to imagine this being the last time these two meet this season.
Twice they met last year; twice Cork got the better of Limerick. Making it three in a row will be no easy task for Pat Ryan’s side.
Looking at where Cork are now, ers have every reason to be encouraged. The dismal 2022 campaign is well and truly in the rear-view mirror. The growth since then – both in style and substance – is plain to see.
The improvement has been immense. Credit goes to the players, the management, and the wider group for their commitment and execution. The gaps that once held this team back? Largely closed.
Patrick Collins has been a standout. Shot-stopping was never in question; his quality there has never wavered. But the improvement he’s made from puck-outs has been one of the biggest factors in the Rebels’ resurgence.
Niall O’Leary has been incredible this season. In this form, he’d start for any team in the country. If Cork are to go all the way, he’ll be a cornerstone. An All-Star in waiting – should the Rebels deliver on their potential.
Ciaran Joyce, Eoin Downey, and Brian Hayes have all developed into integral players during their short time on the . Add Shane Barrett to that list. His 2024 championship may have started slowly, but he proved last year he’s more than capable.
Up front, Patrick Horgan and Seamus Harnedy are still flying, and Darragh Fitzgibbon is doing what he always does. The only downside so far to this season has been Rob Downey and the horrible fortune he’s had with injury in the last two games. But when that’s been the worst takeaway from rounds one and two, Cork are in a good place.
Bottom line: Cork are flying. Exactly where fans would have hoped they’d be.
And that’s why it's easy to get carried away this weekend. Everyone wants to see the Rebels keep their unbeaten run alive. A third championship win in a row over Limerick would be massive.
But if it doesn’t happen – don’t panic.
We've seen enough. This Cork side are the real deal. They’re playing like contenders. It’s what Pat Ryan set out to build – and it’s coming together.
Sure, it would be brilliant to win here. Cork are more than capable. But Limerick remain formidable. Gearóid Hegarty, Aaron Gillane, Diarmaid Byrnes – you know what they bring. Throw in the emergence of Shane O’Brien, as well as Adam English. Cork are good. But so are Limerick. Possibly even better.
Before the championship began, I said on the Echo Sport Podcast that I expected Cork and Limerick to be the top two, with Tipperary sneaking into third – a prediction that said the All-Ireland champions would go out at the earliest stage.
That prediction is closer and closer to becoming a reality.
And I’d be very surprised if this is the only Cork-Limerick clash we see.
Each potential meeting will be a coin toss. If Sunday doesn’t go Cork’s way, it won’t change the bigger picture.
This team has proven they're All-Ireland contenders. There’s a long summer ahead – and plenty of reason for optimism.
Whatever happens this Sunday.
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