it looked much worse than it was for half back lineā¦
Kearney was allowed to drift into space in between half back line and full back line and Nash picked him out loads of times.
In open play and when Cork went short, Fitzgibbon could do what he wanted and was running from deep popping it over the half back line onto Corkās runners.
We got cleaned out in midfield. Absolutely cleaned out.
We did because they flooded the middle and as you say we held our half back line ā¦
Cork didnāt want to be hitting high balls in on top of them, which is their platform. I canāt remember Nash hitting many direct balls down to any of our lads.
Any balls that came in on top of them directly they generally won. Distribution could be improved alright. I think our full back line hit in more balls for scores than the half back line on Sunday.
Almost sure Corkās goal chances and the goal came from half back line mistakes or not winning ball.
Correct. Cork left our half back alone but continually drifted in behind them creating a few goal chances from it.
Ye were on the verge of a heavy beating until Cork ran out of gas. You have to credit the balls the Limerick players showed in the last 10 minutes though. Extra-time was only going to go one way with Limerick having a decent bench and Cork had nothing and a couple of hobbled players on the pitch.
All in all, an absolute hiding for Limerick could still be on the cards in the final.
Byrnes fucked up for Harnedyās goal chance near the end. Had a couple of goes to clear it.
Itād be harsh to call out Dan Morrissey for Lehanes one. It came from a ball down his side but Lehane ran from inside him and wasnāt followed by Hannon, Morrissey got caught under it but Lehane was still 40 yards out.
I still donāt know why there wasnāt anyone inside him.
We really didnāt.
Agreed. We didnt perform but had the guts and bench to grind it out. I said before the game that Cork would just have a bit too much for us and they did but a game in 70 odd mins long, not 60. Our last 3 games - Clare, KK, Cork have not been vintage performance wiseā¦ we made lots of mistakes also against KK. So weāve a lot to work on.
we got 0-10 from play from our starting full forward line and we got a goal of the bench. 1-10 isnāt a bad return for an inside line from play. Casey won a rake of freeās when he came on and set up the Dow for 2 as well.
Mul, Flanagan and Gillane has their men beaten all ends up but the half back line didnāt really give them a platform all game. They all done well but it was Off scraps. Cork lost key men in the second half and our half backs took over and our bench freshened up the attack and weād the legs on them then. Iād read nothing into what happened in extra time. Corks legs were completely gone. Their lads couldnāt even run to the ball.
One thing is for sure. Joe OāConnor has a cracking job done with them fitness wise.
Would it be unfair to question the fitness of the Cork team considering they hadnāt a game since the Munster Final? Whereas Limerick had 2 games between Munster Final and Sundayā¦
thatād be more sharpness than fitness.
They gassed completely.
Of the three match ups, Gillane won his fairly well; Flanagan didnāt; Mulcahy had a really strong showing but was being shackled well by the time he went off. Over the course of 70 minutes Iād say we did better than even but I wouldnāt overstate it.
The game they play is very high energy- running all over the placeā¦ i was thinking throughout to just stay within a couple of points of them and weād catch them. I thought the 6 points was too much of a gap to close however.
Gillane should have had 2-6.
Flanagan roasted Cahalane on numerous occasions to set up scores, including Cian Lynchās goal.
Dowling ran clean through their full back line for the penalty.
Pat Ryan completely roasted Cahalane on two occasions.
You are understating it.
Thatās def a bonus but for me nobody has lived with limerick except Clare. Agianst cork and tipp in the munster championship it was only the last 20 minutes when we opened up. Same with Kilkenny really. We wear teams down and then when we have them on the ropes we unleash the Dow, pat Ryan and Casey to finish the job off. The Dow and Casey have insane hands and will punish you when backs are tired and sloppy. Pat Ryan is like a faster Flanagan taking his man all over the field, turning and running straight at the goals.
Flanagan was sacrificed to take cahalane out of it and leave Gillane inside on his own. He spent 50 minutes sprinting the corner of the 45. Id day he was hit twice. Once for the goal and the other time for a mul point.
Iām planning to watch it back this evening and will happily reconsider. But honestly, to listen to that assessment youād swear we won by a cricket score. Our subs barely saved a draw at the death.