The Rebel County, blood and bandages, all these emotive things that you think of when you think about the Cork hurlers.
Some pride was restored with the performance against Clare but it still wasn't enough to get the job done. It’s last chance saloon now tonight, all in, and if you’re bluffing then the players across from you will know and they will punish you.
But what a saloon it’s going to be: Saturday night, full house by the Lee, the atmosphere will be electric. I was there for the Cork v Clare game and it was a mighty atmosphere but there’s something about a Saturday night game that brings that extra electricity, spice... call it what you like
And all these things added to the mix means that the potential for another cracker is certainly on the cards.
You can’t say that Cork are waiting in the long grass because everyone knows that when these two go at it there is usually nothing in it. Go back to the Gaelic Grounds last year and Cork are literally one puck of a ball away from advancing and the last time they played on a Saturday evening down in the Park it was a rip-roaring affair that ended in a draw.
We need your consent to load this comcast-player contentWe use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Highlights of last year's Munster SHC clash between Limerick and Cork
So for me this needs to be an ambush from Cork. They need to come out and throw everything they have got at Limerick, perhaps disband from the meticulous nature of tactics and zones for periods of the game and just go out and hurl.
Go man-on-man against the team who don’t mind what way you mix it with them, as they have shown time and time again, and hope that lady luck is on your side with a break of ball here and there.
The crowd will be fairly 50-50, but the Rebel roar will be worth a few points if it’s close.
Picture this, Darragh Fitzgibbon on the ball, one catch, solo 30 yards, still space in front, catches again, solo, off the hurley over the bar, the fist pump goes up, the roar is deafening and they’re all square... If that doesn't get a player going out on the sod then nothing will.
And it’s moments like these and more that they are going to need to try and beat Limerick.
On the flip side Limerick are very good at quietening that roar in a flash, with five or six scores tacked on before you know what’s going on. Case and point against Clare from minute 52 onwards and that eight-minute spell before half-time against Tipp, where they tacked on six points and you have to ask the person beside you, "Is that scoreboard right?"
That’s how ruthless they are, that’s how good they are.
The loss of Peter Casey is huge, he has quietly become one of the top forwards in the game and when the need is most it’s usually the Na Piarsaigh man that steps up with a monster score or drops deep to pick up a ball and set up attack after attack for Mr Gillane to finish.
But not a bad replacement in the form of Seamie Flanagan who will no doubt be looking to prove a point and show he wants to be on this team-sheet, all the while looking over his shoulder at Adam English, who was immense the last day against Tipp with four points from play and also brought such an energy against Clare that he was very influential in the turning of that tide in Cusack Park.
I’m sure he’s wondering what more do I have to do here to get the nod, maybe he might yet, we’ll await those changes, if any, around 6:45pm this evening.
So can Cork actually do this?
I believe they are a better team than last year and in particular their forward group looks much more attack-minded and with Alan Connolly it’s very simple, get that man the ball as quickly and as often as possible.
I kept tabs on his possessions against Clare compared to the opposition's talisman, Shane O’Donnell. Both playing in similar positions and both key to success for their teams.
In the first half O'Donnell was on the ball 12 times resulting in frees won, assists for scores and a couple of scores himself.
Alan Connolly got the ball three times, he won two frees and scored a point from play. The second half was much the same, very little ball but the end result was always a positive one.
Having been seriously hampered with injuries, Connolly is playing with freedom and enjoyment once again but he would have every right after the last two games to stand up in that dressing room and say, nay demand, that they get the ball into him and he will do the rest.
Hoggie is obviously proving to everyone he still has it (because he never lost it) with 2-10 the last day but from open play the go-to guy now has to be Connolly.
He will have it all to do with the Ahane Adonis Dan Morrissey breathing down his neck with every play. A day for Connolly to really announce to the rest of the world, I’m here, I'm the man now, if he does it could be hugely influential in the overall result.
The downside for the Rebels is the absence of Ciaran Joyce, the best number 6 Cork have had since Ronan Curran.
He is one of those get the crowd going players and his loss will be felt, so big boots to fill there for Robert Downey and will he sit or follow if David Reidy or Cian Lynch or even Cathal O’Neill find themselves in that 11 box?
Now I know I’ve said a lot on Cork and very little of Limerick but to be honest what more is there to say about this brilliant bunch of players and athletes?
They love a challenge, they relish the pressure and they have dealt with every sort of challenge that has been thrown at them over the years. Missing key players, being down by large scores being under immense pressure in tight games and they have answered all these questions and more.
They have proved they are not reliant on any one individual and while the loss of a player with of the quality of Peter Casey could mentally cripple a group they just see it as an opportunity for someone else to step up and do their bit for the group and almost use this as motivation to say let’s do this for our brother, let’s get him up them steps to lift that cup with Declan Hannon and it’s hard to see that not happening.
Key battles
Where will this be won or lost? For me here are some of the key battles which will determine whether Limerick qualify for yet another Munster final or Cork throw the whole thing wide open again.
- Dan Morrissey v Alan Connolly – Get enough ball into Connolly and he has proven he can do damage but this will be his toughest test yet in the form of Morrissey who seems to rise for the big occasion every time.
- Kyle Hayes v Seamus Harnedy – Harnedy was very good the last day and should feel hard done by for getting taken off after popping over three from play against Clare. Himself and Hayes will be a great battle should they match up but Harnedy could be caught with the athleticism of Hayes powering up the field and don’t be surprised if Hayes ends up with two or three points from play by the end of the game. As a Tipp person I know how much he enjoys going forward in Páirc Uí Chaoimh!
- Darragh Fitzgibbon v Cian Lynch – Lynch the leader and Fitzgibbon the Flyer. Whoever has the bigger game here will have a major impact on the end result. Cian is just magic and his influence on games often is only appreciated really after you watch the match back for the second time on a Wednesday or Thursday evening at home. Fitzgibbon can get the crowd going like no other with his long runs but it will need to be the best we have seen from the Charleville man this year to win this battle.
- Aaron Gillane v Sean O'Donoghue – The talisman for Limerick against the captain who will feel he let the side down the last day with that needless second yellow so I am sure he just cannot wait to get out there and make amends for that and he will give everything in him to try and curtail the leading light for Limerick. Gillane operates on a different level to the rest. He is so hard to block down due to way he gets his strikes off up high, he has the physical strength and bouldness to mix it with anyone and he’s just a class act when it comes to finishing. Stop Gillane and you will go a long way to victory.
There you go folks. Let’s hope the greatest thing in the GAA delivers another cracker on Saturday night. It might take something different from Cork but maybe it will take something that has been there for a long time, a performance of pure honesty, emotion and hunger and as Elton John, who also played in the Park himself, would say "Saturday night's alright for fighting, Get a little action in 'Cause Saturday night's the night I like, Saturday night's alright".
Throw it in. Let them off. Can’t wait to be there watching it all unfold.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
