Cork v Waterford - All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final 2'17

[GeoffreyBoycott]

@Sidney

A complete record of all provincial champions (excluding Cody-era Kilkenny) who have gone straight into an All-Ireland semi-final since 1997:

1997 - Clare - 5 weeks - won by 4
1997 - Wexford - 5 weeks - lost by 7
1998 - Clare - 3 weeks - drew but ultimately won and then lost
1998 - Kilkenny - 6 weeks - won by 1
1999 - Cork - 5 weeks - won by 3
2000 - Cork - 5 weeks - lost by 4
2001 - Tipperary - 6 weeks - drew, won replay by 11
2002 - Waterford - 6 weeks - lost by 3
2003 - Cork - 6 weeks - drew, won replay by 13
2004 - Waterford - 6 weeks - lost by 3
2004 - Wexford - 6 weeks - lost by 20
2008 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - lost by 1
2009 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - won by 24
2010 - Waterford - 4 weeks - lost by 7
2011 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - won by 4
2012 - Galway - 5 weeks - won by 5
2012 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - lost by 18
2013 - Dublin - 5 weeks - lost by 4
2013 - Limerick - 5 weeks - lost by 8
2014 - Cork - 5 weeks - lost by 9
2015 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - lost by 1
2016 - Tipperary - 5 weeks - won by 2

7 wins, 3 draws*, 12 losses.

*Of those 3 draws, 2 resulted in replay wins, 1 was a replay loss.

Since the introduction of the full back door system in 2002, the record is 4 wins, 1 draw, 10 losses.

Once again the Leinster Champions handle the 5 week lay off between provincial final and semi final with aplomb. That’s 11 out of 12 semi final wins since 2006, the only blip Dublin in 2013.

In the last 10 semi finals Munster champions have won just 3 and lost 7. 5 of those 7 semi finals losses were to fellow Munster teams. Only Tipperary as Munster Champions in 2009 in that 10 year period beat Munster opposition in the semi final - Justin McCarthy’s Limerick in 2009.

That trend would point towards a Waterford win on Sunday. Cork as Munster Champions most recently in 2014 handled the 5 week lay off really badly.