When limerick played Kilkenny in the rain in 2014 they emptied themselves, played an amazing game and came up just short against a better team. I came away very disappointed but you would be proud of that performance. They didnāt bottle it. I would feel the exact same about cork last year if were a cork fan.
What are you actually saying? Do you think cork were the better and more talented team of players but threw away the game due to a loser mentality? Or do you think limerick were the better team on the day and were hard pushed to beat cork?
The fact of the matter is that it was a relatively ok Limerick performance, understandable considering it was the first big senior championship game in Croke Park for most of the players.
Cork had the experience of the semi final the year before, together with the confidence from winning consecutive Munster titles.
They led a green (see what I did there) side by six points when they had all the momentum but still conspired to lose.
For the record I think we have better players and a better management than them but Cork had one foot in the final but fluffed their lines on the big stage. Again.
Ronan lynch and Barry Nash are far more talented than Kyle Hayes and seamus flanagan. It doesnāt make them better players. Very similar with the cork players. As hurlers their brilliant but there is a lot more to it than just skill.
So limerick won because they were the better team or because cork fluffed their lines?
Did you tell any of the players over in Boston they only won that match because cork fluffed their lines? Iām sure theyād be impressed to hear they didnāt beat cork, they just got through because cork bottled it.
On the day Limerick were not at the level of, say, the Waterford match, the Cork match in June or even the final.
The team was slightly below par for decent stretches of that game but despite this they still dug out the result.
All Iām saying is that Cork had us by the throat but failed to kill us off when we were disjointed and there for the taking. Lost their nerve, left the door ajar which was gleefully accepted by Kyle Hayes and co.
We beat them despite not being brilliant. Gave Cork a chance and they crumbled.
Our bench was the difference really, that and Kearney going off in the 60th minute.
Dowling in fairness from the bench had his best ever performance/impact for Limerick ever that day. Nailed that extremely difficult free right after coming on and buried the penalty. Picked off some points from play as well as sending Gillane through for a goal chance which he put over the bar.
Decent comparison to use. However that day, we werenāt six points ahead heading down the last 8 minutes were we? If that had been the case that day the narrative would be we bottled it in the rain, not that we gave it everything and just came up short.
All Iām saying is that looking at the last 2 years together, from a purely Cork perspective, Questioning their mettle when the chips are down is justified imho
I donāt think the bench had the impact people make out in normal time of that game. It was our half back line taking over that changed the game and allowed our forwards to get going. Gillane had just as much impact as the dow in the final ten minutes. Peter Casey also made a very significant contribution. Kyle got the ball rolling. From Dowling coming on till Kyle scoring the point down the Hogan stand he didnāt do much. After this our half backs took over and all the forwards started to flourish. In the extra time the dow owned the game tbf.
Our half back line had their worst game of the year up until Kearney went off, mate.
After that they settled down. Agreed on P Casey, although he had an even greater impact in the final and Dowling only touched the sliotar twice, albeit one of those was a class goal.
Yep. Casey was our best sub all year imo. He made a ridiculous contribution for such an inexperienced lad. I think Dowling only touched the ball four times in normal time v cork but itās what he does with it that counts. You always feel at games heās having a bigger impact than he actually he is. He lifts players around him and the crowd which very players can do. On the other hand Peter Casey is like a silent killer.
Iām really looking forward to seeing P Casey hit the ground running in the league. ā¦tough for Na Piarsaigh but it benefits Limerick obviously having a full pick this spring. Hopefully he stays injury free as he was plagued last year. Class operator.
Say theyāll get there easy peasy by themselves,via whipping the fuck out of ye,I mean it took ye 45 long , boring,no where years FFS,I wouldnāt be too cocky kid,45 years is a long time stuck in the bog ,or milking cows it whatever other country pursuits ye were at, whiling away the years ,or watching us on tv