Last month was personal for Limerick – this time it has to be business

Irish Examiner

9 hours ago

Munster SHC final.
Limerick v Cork, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 6pm (T. Walsh, Waterford) Live RTÉ.
In the Netflix series Squid Game, the competitors are divided into groups for a fatal game of 'juldarigi' or tug-o-war as we know it.
In one battle, the contrast in physical strength is obvious but one of the weaker group realises if they slacken the rope temporarily before giving an almighty collective pull, they might win. Another version of rope-a-dope, if you will.
Cork certainly didn't want to lose by 16 points last month but in their hearts of hearts they probably knew they would meet Limerick again. You might beat Limerick in Limerick once but the chances of beating them there twice?
Slim. In that defeat, if Cork absorbed even half of the emotion Limerick felt after what transpired 11 months ago then it actually might turn out to be a cloud with a silver lining.
Pat Ryan's side are going to give a far better account of themselves here. The adjectives he has used in public about that loss have been damning – can you imagine what ones he has been using behind closed doors? Nothing and nobody in the Cork group has been spared and even if their sense of justice isn't meted out here,they'll take it upon themselves to deliver it.
Brian Hayes' start against Limerick suggested Dan Morrissey was going to have his fill of it only for the shrewd full-back to get his way. Hayes is playing too well to be put down twice and for Morrissey it may be an evening of limitation than negation.
Declan Dalton is the type of in-your-face player that Limerick find a handful and he is a sore loss and Rob Downey, while named on the bench, would be the right man to anchor a half-back line that lost all its shape 20 days ago.
In naming Aidan O'Connor for Shane O'Brien, John Kiely is again demonstrating he is picking on form. Ironically, it was O'Brien who was the surprise draft for last year's provincial final when he made his championship debut start.
The bush telegraph rings with how strong training has been with a full complement of players available. That's not to say the word out of Cork hasn't been good – it certainly is – but with the added bonus of Limerick's substitutes having started against Clare in this, their seventh straight Munster final, they have probably never had a more ready squad.
Last month's game wasn't a typical Limerick win. It bore all the hallmarks of hurt pent-up from last year's defeats, particularly the five-in-a-row ending one. Instead of the usual slow start/third-quarter crush, their engine was combusting from the outset.
Knowing that Cork are the ones now doing the hunting, Limerick might not be able to repeat that trick again. Instead, they will probably look to revert to their trusted practices, looking to dodge more than dismantle their opponents in the first quarter then measuring them to put them away.
Last month was personal, this time Limerick have to be all business. Just as well that they are hurling's greatest final team. Because instead of being shells like they were on their previous visit, Cork are going to be throwing plenty of them.
Verdict: Limerick.