Busy weekend as Munster Championship starts
What a weekend it is coming up and into next week as the championship ramps up, while the ladies footballers will try and end a run of league final defeats for Cork when they play Galway.
Munster Senior Football Championship QF
Cork v Limerick on Sunday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 2pm
“We parked it on the Sunday night had a relaxing evening and then quickly focussed on Limerick,” Cork manager John Cleary said on the league final loss to Meath.
John was delighted at how the league went, final apart. “The objective was to gain promotion and in doing that we got 8 tough games.”
It’s the 3rd year in a row that they are facing Jimmy Lee’s side and even though they were relegated to Division 4, John knows they will get it tough.
“Two years ago here, we were behind at half-time and last year it was tight until Sean Clancy was put off and we won easy in the end.”
John also reckons they were somewhat unlucky to be relegated. “They actually beat Wexford who were promoted with Down who they only lost to by a point so we know it won’t be easy.”
Paul Walsh said the depth of the squad was really tested: “It stood to us and most lads got game time in a very competitive division and now it’s championship which defines our season.”
Most of the injuries have cleared although the unlucky Kevin O’Donovan now joins Mattie Taylor on that list and will miss the Munster Championship.
John is hoping that a good crowd will turn up. “The support has grown in recent weeks and that helps and hopefully there will be a big crowd here on Sunday.”
In many ways it’s a free hit for Limerick - a D1 side against a D4 team - not many are giving them a chance with a lot of injuries and a few big players no longer involved.
John is aware of that, “We will give Limerick the respect they deserve; it’s championship, one-off game and if you are not focussed, you will be punished.”
The composition of the Cork team is unlikely to change much from the league final although there might be some debate around the number 1 jersey given the difficulties that Patrick Doyle endured in Croke Park.
John also confirmed that Dara Sheedy will play in the U20 game tonight (Thursday) and then a decision will be made on whether he will feature on Sunday.
It is also the first time in a number of years that Cork are on the opposite side of the draw to Kerry and it gives them the ideal opportunity to make the Munster Final.
It’s an opportunity they will be keen to avail of and barring a complete collapse, they should win this one to set up a semi-final meeting with either Tipperary or Waterford on Saturday 25.
The match is live on C103 and on the Onic Player.
Lidl Ladies Football League Final
Cork v Galway on Saturday in the Gaelic Grounds at 5pm
When these two sides met in the Division 2 final last year, which Galway won, little did they or probably anyone else for that matter think that in a short space of time they would meet in the Division 1 final.
Indeed at the outset of the campaign Cork manager Joe Carroll expressed the view that the league was about “consolidation and retaining our status”. Well they have certainly done that and more.
In fact until they lost to Dublin last time out, they had gone through the campaign unbeaten, dropping just 1 point - in a draw with Kildare, who like Dublin were relegated.
It has been an interesting league with several of fancied sides struggling, Kerry and Meath among them both just avoiding relegation.
It would be nice for Cork to go into the championship with a trophy tucked away.
After the loss to Dublin, Joe said: “Disappointed at losing but it’s over now and it is great to have a final to look forward to in a couple of weeks.”
Galway will be difficult opponents: “We had a great battle with them in Páirc Uí Rinn where a goal by Aine (Terry O’Sullivan) got us the win but finals are once off and hopefully we can get the job done.”
Andrea Trill, Roisin Leonard, Leanne Coen who has an eye for goal, Aisling Madden, Lynsey Noone, Aoife O’Rourke and Kate Thompson had all impressed for Galway in this campaign which has seen them win 5 of their 7 games and finish on 15 points one behind Cork.
You could say getting to the final is somewhat of a bonus for Cork given their ambitions at the outset, but they have grown in confidence as the league went on, with the demolition of Kerry in Killarney the highlight.
There has also been a level of consistency in their play all season with a nice mix of youth and experience.
Aine Terry O’Sullivan and Mellissa Duggan fit neatly into the latter category and have made important contributions, while Aoife Healy, Emma Cleary - an outstanding captain, Caoimhe Richmond, Sadbh McGoldrick, Leah Hallihan, Abbie O’Mahony and Grace Ní Murchú have grown in confidence with every game.
The key player though is Katie Quirke and if the Bride Rovers girl is on form, Cork will be very hard to beat.
Galway are chasing a 1st Division 1 league title while Cork who have beaten them in 4 finals, are bidding for title number 13, the last in 2021 and a win would draw them level with Kerry on the roll of honour.
It’s been a while since Cork landed a national title at senior level - I expect that to be rectified on Saturday.
The match is live on C103 and on the Onic Player.
Munster Under 20 Football Championship
Cork v Clare in Quilty is on Thursday (tonight) at 7pm
It’s a trip to West Clare for Ray Keane’s team as they face a home side who are playing their 4th game in the Championship having finished top of Phase 1 winning all 3 games.
In their last game they had 7 points to spare over Limerick with Sean Fennell, Daire Culligan who got 2 goals, Donnacha Dwyer and Callum Kiely among their better players; they did go 20 minutes in the 2nd half without scoring - better quality opposition will punish you for that.
Like Kerry who also enter the championship tonight when they play Waterford, Cork have relied on challenge games in preparation for this tie.
The Championship structure is somewhat lopsided as both Cork and Kerry have to wait until phase 1 is finished and it was only last week that they actually found out where and who they were playing.
Tomas Ó Sé’s comment in the Examiner to Eoghan Cormican are spot on.
The other 4 counties are quick to complain when they feel they are been hard done by, yet not one word when they get 3 good games before Cork and Kerry even get to play 1.
How good it is to see Waterford progress in both minor and under 20, a nice boost for the game that is clearly 2nd best in that county.
One big player for Cork will be Dara Sheedy who enjoyed an excellent league campaign with John Cleary’s senior side.
Despite Clare’s advantage as well as playing at home, you would still expect Cork to prevail and set it up nicely for the visit of Kerry to Leeside a week later.
Munster Minor Hurling Championship
Cork v Waterford on Friday in Fraher Field at 7pm
It’s a repeat of last year’s Munster Final in which Cork won, but the Deise lads bounced back to win the All-Ireland on an emotional evening in Thurles.
Waterford also have the benefit of an opening round win over Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds while it is Cork’s first game.
Dylan Murphy was the key man in that victory clipping over 0-10, while he got excellent support from Cian Delaney, Mikey Ware, Jack Mullally, Darragh Murphy and Andrew Power. Interestingly 15 different clubs were represented in the starting 15.
Cork have played a lot of challenge games in the lead up to this opener and manager Donal Mulcahy will have been happy enough with their preparation.
Sam Ring, Hugo Rafferty, Eoin Considine, Tom Huggins and Cormac Murphy all featured in recent games and could very well be big players in this match.
A tough test ahead, especially away from home against a team with a win under their belts.
Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship
Cork v Waterford on Wednesday in Fraher Field at 7.35pm
Another Cork side heading to the Deise county on Wednesday next for what is essentially a must-win game for both sides, in particular the home side who have lost their two matches to date, albeit very narrowly.
In the 2nd game they came within a puck of the ball of drawing with All-Ireland champions Tipperary and they will also regret their failure to convert a penalty.
Cork for the 2nd game in a row, started slowly against Limerick but once they found their range they quickly put the game to bed.
As he did against Tipperary, Barry Walsh led the way with the scoring stakes and his tally of 2-9 was to say the least impressive.
Barry O’Flynn, John Murphy also got on the goal scoring act, while Colm Garde, Michael Tadgh Brosnan, Darragh Heavin and Matthew Barrett all played well.
Cork will be keen to build on that win ahead of their final group game against Clare, which is in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but they will want to start well and not allow Waterford gain any momentum. If they do that, they could very well win and keep their chances of qualifying alive.
Camogie
There are two games this weekend; on Friday night fresh off their big win over Dublin, Cork play Waterford, who have yet to record a victory in Castle Road at 7pm.
Niamh Mac Nabola, Amy Sheppard, Meave O’Brien, Ava McAuliffe and Ciara Morrisson are key players for this team who have recovered well from the Munster Final defeat to Tipperary, another win which they should get would guarantee them a semi-final spot.
In the Minor Championship, Cork head to The Ragg on Saturday at 2pm for a semi-final meeting with Kilkenny who won the group game comfortably a few weeks ago. Cork were somewhat fortunate to make the last four and will need a huge improvement if they are to extend their season.