Wouldnt debate that Fenners, my point is that the same reliance on those 2 in terms of scores is there again today. They got 6 from play between them. Each one at leat 1 scored free. Hoggy came closest to another goal for Cork and Harnedy was unlucky for another point. 8 years on from their last AI theyre still the forwards depended on.
The starting Cork forwards scored 1-1 outside of them. Midfield 1 point. Thats a shocking return. OâFlynn and Kingston are there 3 years.
Cork midfield got 1 from play. Fitzgibbon and Meade are there 3 years.
Whild Id give the benefit to OâConnor and I think Barrett is excellent theres a lot of work for Kieran Kingston to doâŚ
Yeah, but you need to create the right environment for these players. Having lads who dont work hard in modern game, just wont do. The next management/coaching appointment is critical.
There was a stage in the second quarter when the game was still alive, OâFlynn got by Hayes and had a yard on him ball in hand. He has the speed and could have kept on going as there was 30 yards of space in front of him and got a tap over point. Instead he panicked as he knew Hayes wasnt going to relent and hit a very poor wide from 50 yards out. Limerick take a quick puckout and 5 seconds later they score. Just no conviction or real belief.
Cork need to find two or three dogs of war like Cathal Malone, Dan McCormick, Wayne OâDonoghue type lads who maybe lack wristiness but are athletic and willing to do the unglamorous stuff which will find them a level of work rate and honest effort in the middle third that can be relied on.
I think Cork will sort 6 based on a review of their underage group. Coleman definitely is worth a place. Downey will do fine at 3 (he will only get better after this year and I dont blame him today). OâLeary has a bit to him though. But Iâm not sure on 8/9 (maybe Connery?) and 11 and 14 need replacing.
They do need dogs too but they have flaking hurlers coming through who will eventually be able to hurl and hit in time. Immediately however there is work to do and while the round robin will help them in 2024 in terms of developing players, 22 is going to be a challenge in terms of picking some of those lads off the floor today
What a 24 hours - no ticket, a lost ticket because someoneâs phone was dead and then a ticket at 11.30 last nightâŚ
This team are a joy - so selfless, hard working and composed.
A back to back is dream stuff - unbelievable really when I think of all the trophies we won for moral victories for all my life.
Hard luck Cork backers - never nice losing in that fashion but the form line didnt lie⌠I set in a section of all Cork - all very gracious but extremely disappointed - for all the underage did this week - the was a rude awakening today.
Gonna drink it in here now and enjoy the sunday game - 2 hours up, 2 hours down
I seriously donât see how people think Downey will be fine. He is too flat footed and lacks any real aggression to play the position. He simply isnât a full back or an intercounty level defender. He is just so one paced with and without the ball.
I thought Flanaganâs touch today was pretty poor by his standards but he continually got away with it as Downey was two or three steps behind him.
How many times was he dispossessed himself? He doesnât read danger and his positioning is pretty poor add that to having no pace is a recipe for disaster.
He has plenty of hurling and will make the odd nice play where he plucks a high ball or gets out in front but it is few and far between
I couldnât see where all of that Cork confidence was coming from before the game. I expected Limerick to beat them by 20 points and they would have if they had put their minds to it. Cork had come a very mediocre route and struggled to beat Clare and Kilkenny.
Itâs the worst Cork championship defeat since Limerick beat them 16 points in 1996 and their second worst ever after the 1965 Munster Final.
One thing that struck me attending both today and the Waterford semi final, is the sheer size and strength and conditioning of Limerick. Waterford are even a lot further down that path than Cork are. Cork looked like a crowd of chaps in the parade as they marched around beside their Limerick counterparts. For all their conveyor belt of young talent, theyâve a lot of catching up to do.
Size is no use really if you donât have the skills and Limerick have that too. They could well win a 5 in a row with that team. Theyâre miles ahead of all the pack, a bit like Kilkenny were in 2007 or the Kerry footballers in 1979.
