Limerick v Cork live updates: All-Ireland hurling semi-final
Nicky English writes in his column that Cork’s emergence as the fourth county is just what hurling needs. “For the past two years we have had Clare and Kilkenny in one semi-final and Limerick and Galway in the other but Cork bring a different dimension.
“Limerick have had the four-week adjustment since the Munster final, which they are old hands at managing and coming into Croke Park in a higher gear than in Munster. They can certainly be depended upon to be at a different register than two months ago.
“Diarmaid Byrnes is back in form and although Barry Nash is a loss if he doesn’t play – he’s their main distributor from the back – Seán Finn’s arrival is not going to hurt them defensively and may even be a benefit in controlling the chaos and shutting down that Cork madness.
“If Cork can re-release the genie, we’ve a match but they’ll need to create that chaos and score goals but Limerick’s middle third has looked ominously closer to being back to their best.”
[ Nicky English: Limerick look best bet to make another hurling final ]
Clare came back against Kilkenny yesterday in a thrilling finale to the semi-final. Faced with a third successive semi-final defeat by Kilkenny, Clare outstared the abyss to reach a first final in 11 years, writes Seán Moran. Manager Brian Lohan said:
““There was that pressure – to lose three in a row up here, on the back of three in a row in Munster – but sometimes you just get fed up and it has to stop some time. Things turn around when you work hard and our lads work hard.”
[ Brian Lohan: ‘Sometimes you just get fed up and it has to stop some time’ ]
Denis Walsh writes that chastening days in Croke Park at Limerick’s hands have fed into Cork’s recent evolution.
“Where are Cork now? In the Gaelic Grounds last year Cork outscored Limerick by six points in the last 10 minutes and lost by a point; in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this year they outscored Limerick by six points in the last seven minutes and won by two. They had more shots than Limerick in this fixture for the first time in five years, according to O’Connor. Cork were aggressive. They won the puck-out battle. They didn’t play with fear. Or deference.”
Can they continue that evolution today?
[ Rebel project paused and shaped by Limerick’s hurling lessons ]
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second All-Ireland semi-final between Limerick and Cork, throw-in at 4pm at Croke Park. Yesterday, Clare came from behind to beat Kilkenny, and the Banner will face one of these two in the final. The favourites are undoubtedly Limerick, who are chasing five All-Irelands in a row, and six in seven years. What will give Cork hope though is they beat Limerick by two points in the Munster championship in a belter of a game. The Rebels scored an incredible 3-28 that day. That sort of points total might be needed again to beat the champions.
LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes; Will O’Donoghue, Cathal O’Neill; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, David Reidy. Subs: Jason Gillane, Conor Boylan, Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Richie English, Graeme Mulcahy, Shane O’Brien, Aidan O’Connor, Fergal O’Connor, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Darragh O Donovan.
CORK: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue; Tim O’Mahony, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes. Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damien Cahalane, Ger Mellerick, Tommy O’Connell, Luke Meade, Ethan Twomey, Conor Lehane, Jack O’Connor, Shane Kingston, Padraig Power, Robbie O’ Flynn.
