Around the Districts: Boherbue, Clondrohid, Lismire and Western Duhallow
Boherbue Tidy Towns were celebrating last week having been awarded third place in the Large Village section of the Cork County Council North Cork region Anti Litter Challenge.
This was a great honour and due recognition for the continuous work carried out by the volunteers throughout the Spring months as they daily in rota walk the full speed limit sections collecting discarded papers, cigarette butts etc. When one considers that the speed limit from East to West through Boherbue is over seven kilometres long it gives an indication of the volume of work involved.
At a special function held at Annabella in Mallow they were represented by Chairman Michael Cronin, Secretary Majella Murphy who was also co-ordinator of the project and Treasurer Helen Walsh. Having received their certificate they joined with the other winners as they enjoyed some refreshments and chat.
Girl Guides
On Sunday morning last nineteen members of the local Girl Guides accompanied by Leaders Mary O 'Connor, who is also a Regional Commissioner and Karen Walsh headed off to Clongowes Wood in Co. Kildare to take part in the International Camp for one week.
With over 1000 ladies on site they are sharing an area with the Tralee branch. The attendance includes representatives from England and many other Countries as far away as New Zealand.
What a wonderful experience this is going to be for the girls as they mingle with other cultures all part of the learning process.
Hopefully, they will have lots of fun, challenges and enjoy the experience.
Handball
Best of luck to Evan Enright who contests the 60x30 All Ireland Junior B semi-final and to Carmel Kelleher who plays in the All Ireland 60x30 Minor singles semi-final, both games at the weekend.
Fleadh Ceoil
The All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil takes place this week in Wexford and local interest will be on those involved with the Freemount Comhaltas group in the Solo Singing, the Harp and the Ceili Band sections.
Donna Moynihan takes to the stage on Sunday in the Under 18 Solo Singing having been crowned All Ireland U15 champion last year. Muireann O'Hanlon will participate in the Harp section while Eoghan Moynihan and Darragh Fitzpatrick are both members of the U18 Ceili Band. Best of luck everyone.
See Western Duhallow notes for full Band membership.
Active Retired
The Boherbue/Kiskeam Active Retired group are off to the Fair in Kenmare on Friday next August 15th. They will then move on to Molls Gap and home by Killarney for dinner. The cost is €50. To book contact Nora on 087 6829564, Noreen on 087 6914968 or Ned on 087 9228151. The Bus will depart Kiskeam Church carpark at 8.30am and Boherbue Super Valu at 8.45am.
Lotto
The numbers were 2, 4, 23, 28. Lucky Dip €50 Shane O'Connor, The Square; €20 each Nuala Linehan, Ballyhoulihan; Tony Ankettell, Gneeves; Niall O'Connor, Ruhillmore. On line Anne Murphy, Lamanaugh Seller Charles Ankettell.
Clondrohid
Nell's bus to Knock
On Friday August 15th Departing Ballyvourney via Clondrohid, Macroom, Carriganima,and Millstreet. Contact Mary Twomey 086 3299375 to book your seat.
Padre Pio ceremonies
In the church of the Holy Spirit Dennehy's Cross Cork this Sunday Aug 10 at 2.30pm. The CART bus will depart Carriganima at 1pm, via Clondrohid, Macroom. Contact Cait for more info 086 8736614
Weekly Summer History Tours
These tours will continue every Tues night at 8pm with Dr. Con Kelleher, starting at Macroom Bridge Choice of 3 talks. The Historic Centre, New Street, and Macroom 20th Century Centres of Entertainment.. Everybody welcome.
Clondrohid Dev Group
Summer season in full flow. You can help by keeping the area around your house weed and rubbish free. Weeds are hard to keep under control. Thanks to everyone who is helping to keep our village neat and tidy, and to our CE worker James.
Bingo
Continues every Wed night at 8.30pm. During holiday times some young people might like to try their luck. Everyone welcome.
Singing in the Tavern
This lovely sing a long group or tell a story group meet the 2nd and the 4th Monday nights in The Tavern from 9pm. The next session is Monday August 11. They would love to see you there.
Blood Donor Clinic
It's a while away, but please mark it in your calendar. They will be in the Community Hall on Monday and Tuesday Sept 29 and 30. A great facility to have in our village, please support as blood is always needed.
Carriganima Entertainment
Saturday, August 9th, guess who is coming, an old favourite TR Dallas. Saturday August 16th: The Diamond Sisters will open the show, to be followed by the famous Cliona Hagan in the Marquee. There will be more entertainment in September.
They would love to see you there. A great venue with fun and craic. Well done all.
Lotto
Results for July 30th: Jackpot €3,400. €70 Cian Creedon, Bawnmore. €20 Kevin Cullinane, Coachford. Tina Murray C/O Murray's Bar. John Hickey, Millstreet. Anthony Murphy, Masseytown.
GAA news
Clondrohid Juniors began their Championship campaign against Kilmichael in sunny Cill na Martra last Sunday. Clondrohid showed nerves early on with Kilmichael controlling early duels and showed it on the scoreboard 1-2 to 0-2.
Clondrohid gradually gained control in the middle and breaks started falling their way. Good points by Ciaran, Darren, Jamie and 1-1 by Fergal got them back on level terms at the break. HT Clon:1-6 Kil:1-6
A few positional changes made at the break resulted in a much more focused attack and immediately paid dividends with Darren causing havoc in the Kilmichael defence. Owen McCarthy used his new freedom at wing forward to make probing runs and led to further scores by Cathal and Darren. A ball won back by the excellent full back line was played to Owen McCarthy and he ran 50 yards through the heart of the defence and calmly shot to the back of the Kilmichael net. Kilmichael never gave up and got 1 point back to leave the minimum coming into the final 5 mins. It was nip and tuck with both teams throwing everything at each other. Clondrohid held out through the 5 added minutes to win on a score line of 2-11 to 1-13. Well done to all involved.
Lismire
Scrap Metal
A load of scrap metal is being prepared for collection on 9th August. If you have any unwanted scrap metal, please bring it to the GAA Grounds and leave it at the designated scrap metal area.
Please be reminded that only scrap metal and batteries are suitable for recycling e.g., farm machinery, old cars, engines & parts, gates, corrugated iron, wheelbarrows, trailer chassis, cement mixers, transport boxes, electric motors, batteries, milk cans, slurry tanks, electric cookers, dishwashers, washing machines, radiators, food mixers, lead, bicycles, solid fuel cookers, barrels and any old iron.
Please do not bring fridges, freezers, plastics, tiles, tyres or electrical goods like TVs and microwaves.
Donations
Newmarket Post Office has a drop off box for charity-they are now ONLY taking old stamps and cards for charity-they are NO longer taking old glasses and as always NO remotes/old phones etc.The collector wishes to thank you all for your donations over the years and hope you will continue to donate the old stamps and cards.
Monthly Meeting
Lismire Community Association will hold their monthly meeting on Tuesday 12th August at 8pm in the local Community Centre. Everyone Welcome.
Western Duhallow
Knocknagree
Congrats to Knocknagree Tidy Towns Committee who took first place in the Cork County Council Northern Section small village Anti Litter challenge held recently.
Securing top spot was a huge success and a credit to all involved in the team.
Knocknagree Village with its Fair Field in the centre is unique. Great work has taken place there over the past few years to make it the colourful spectacle that it is now. They received their reward at the annual presentation ceremony at the Council offices at Annabella in Mallow over the past week.
Book Club
The newly formed Book Club in Kiskeam meet on the first Wednesday of every month from 7pn to 8pm in the Community Centre. Details from Geraldine on 087 6472553
School Uniforms
When the school uniforms come on display its a sure sign that school is just around the corner.
O'Keeffe's Drapery in Ballydesmond cater for the following schools. 2nd level Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore and Boherbue Comprehensive School. National Schools Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Knocknagree, Gneeveguilla and Holy Family, Rathmore.
Knock
The National Novena 'Pilgrims of Hope ' will take place in Knock Bacilica from August 13th to 21st with daily ceremonies at 3pm and 8pm. Full info on www.knockshrine.ie
Kiskeam Lotto
The numbers were 6, 24, 26, 30. Lucky Dip €50 Tom Culloty, Knockavoreen; €20 each Fionn and Molly McAuliffe Kiskeam; Seanie Lenihan, do; Liz Cremin, do.
Fleadh Ceoil
Western Duhallow will have a number of musicians taking part in the All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil which takes place in Wexford this week. We wish them all every success as they battle for All Ireland honours.
James Lehane, Cullen who is the Munster U12 Box champion; Olivia Tarrant, Ballydesmond who is Munster U12 champion on the Fiddle and slow airs plus the Harp Muireann and Oisin O'Connor, Cullen, slow airs on the Flute plus the Crossfields U18 Ceili Band whose members are as follows: Roman and David Hynes, Kanturk; Vy Ha O'Leary, Cullen; Colin O'Riordan, Kiskeam; Sarah Kelly, Newmarket; Ciara Murphy, Derrinagree; Muireann O'Connor, Cullen; Jennifer Buckley, Knocknagree; Eoghan Moynihan and Darragh Fitzpatrick, Boherbue.
The band are coached by Alan Finn, Buttevant and Eddie Kiely, Boherbue.
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Irish Times
20 hours ago
- Irish Times
Rugby World Cup preview: Irish women's rugby has battled ferociously to reach the top level
The IRFU's digital team pulled off something of a masterstroke when announcing their squad for the upcoming women's World Cup . Each player featured in then-and-now shots, pictures of the group in their current kit placed alongside old photos – most of them from childhood. On one hand, today's Edel McMahon stood smiling in her green jersey. On the other, braces and different colour hair hinted at the age of the other snap. A younger version of Ireland's co-captain captains hugs her father, Tom, in the midst of an All-Ireland celebratory scrum. McMahon, then a teenager, was in goals for Kilmihil during their run to the intermediate title. 📢IRELAND SQUAD ANNOUCEMENT Some dream in black and white, some dream in colour. We Dream In Green. Here's the Ireland squad presented by — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) Here was a rare example of meaningful social media 'content'. These are human beings behind the athletes. Sometimes we do need a reminder. There's a significant emotional investment required to reach the top level. For Irish women's rugby, it has been a battle and a half. Eight long years have passed since Ireland last played at a World Cup. They missed out on the previous edition after a dire few days in Parma. That was 2021, defeats to Spain and Scotland knocking Ireland out of the global showpiece just four years after they hosted the thing. Irish women's rugby was in the pits. A letter was sent to government. Something had to change. READ MORE Now, Ireland are the best of the rest in the Six Nations behind England and France. They're less than a year out from beating New Zealand, one of the shock results of this year's World Cup cycle. Ireland travel to Britain with legitimate, if still slightly improbable aspirations of reaching a global semi-final. [ Women's Rugby World Cup: Ireland team news, fixtures and where to watch Opens in new window ] For all the positivity, there is an inescapable sense that Ireland are limping to the starting line. Injuries have plagued them. The spine of the starting pack, tighthead Christy Haney, lock Dorothy Wall and backrow Erin King are all out. Aoife Wafer, arguably the game's best ball-carrier, is touch and go. The return of co-captain Sam Monaghan and wing Béibhinn Parsons from their own long-term injuries undoubtedly softens the blow. But they don't fill all the gaps. Jane Clohessy tackles Aoife Wafer at an Ireland squad training session. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho The frontrow depth – just two specialist tightheads remain after Haney's injury – is a concern. Ireland's scrum has been an issue for some time. Italy had a better rate of return on possession during the Six Nations. Should anything befall Linda Djougang, Ireland's most experienced tighthead, 20-year-old Sadhbh McGrath and uncapped Sophie Barrett – the latter not currently in the World Cup squad – will have a rescue job on their hands. In an ideal world, there would be a national debate on Ireland's back three. Amee-Leigh Costigan and Anna McGann have shown flashes of their pace in recent months. With Parsons' return, wing is suddenly Ireland's most hotly contested position. [ Can Ireland win the Rugby World Cup? 'No reason why not,' says Molly Scuffil-McCabe Opens in new window ] Centre could also fall into that category. Enya Breen, Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton rotated during the Six Nations. Now Nancy McGillivray, the Hong Kong-born 22-year-old once on England's radar, adds to that depth. Maybe it's the fortnight gap between Ireland's last warm-up and their World Cup opener. Perhaps fatigue at a lengthy, Lions-dominated men's season afflicts the rugby public. Ireland's early opponents, Japan and Spain, are unlikely to kick the bandwagon out of second gear. Whatever the reason, off-field narratives have instead driven the recent discussion. The decision to cap McGillivray and Ellena Perry, a former England prop called up after Haney's injury, raised eyebrows. McGillivray, first spotted in 2021, may well have been a long-term plan, her late call-up delayed by contractual commitments. But why summon Perry, nominally a loosehead, to replace tighthead Haney? Nancy McGillivray runs in to score Ireland's third try in a World Cup warm-up against Scotland in Cork earlier this month. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho There is a balance between showing faith in the Irish pathway and finding the best Irish-qualified talent. Going to England for the emergency call-up risks tipping it too far in one direction. While acknowledging that late additions done incorrectly can rock the boat, Ireland head coach Scott Bemand both defended his decision and the Irish pathway. 'Everything has been done well, in my opinion.' Conversations on Ireland's ability to develop players are never far away. Success in recent times has come at least in part due to the IRFU's response to the infamous player letter of 2021. After failing to qualify for the last World Cup, players past and present wrote to the government expressing a loss of 'all trust and confidence in the IRFU'. The signatories called for 'meaningful changes' in the women's game from 'grassroots to green shirts'. Since then, albeit after a Six Nations wooden spoon in 2023, Ireland have improved to finish third in back-to-back years. These campaigns came either side of the New Zealand win, Ireland playing the Black Ferns by dint of their promotion up the WXV competition ladder. Toto, we're not in Parma any more. The IRFU have invested in the top tier. Professional central contracts were first introduced in August 2022. A year later, Bemand, a former coach of England's dominant Red Roses, was hired as head coach. Forwards coach Alex Codling, who will join Munster after this World Cup, was an astute hire to shore up a creaking set-piece. Shock horror, investing in the top tier has improved results. Yet the injury-inspired scramble for players from across the water suggests the next step, fixing the grassroots, a move the player letter also called for, has not had the same success. Ireland forwards Coach Alex Codling. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Former player Lynne Cantwell joined the IRFU as the head of women's strategy at the end of last year. She will contribute to a review into Ireland's domestic programme, spending the coming weeks at club and provincial sessions. 'There are a lot of girls out there who want to play rugby who can't who need to be engaged with,' she said last month. 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For all the injury talk, it should be noted that just two members of the starting XV that beat New Zealand are now missing: Eimear Considine has retired while Wall is injured. All roads lead to Franklin's Gardens. If Japan and Spain are safely negotiated, an upset against the Black Ferns secured, and with it a favourable quarter-final draw, the cautious build-up could be quickly forgotten. The bandwagon will fill up mighty fast. More celebratory photos could be added to the collection. Neve Jones: With Aoife Wafer's early tournament fitness a concern, Jones should be an alternative scoring threat off set-piece. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Ireland's ones to watch Linda Djougang – prop Christy Haney's hamstring injury leaves Djougang one of only two specialist tighthead props in the squad, 20-year-old Sadhbh McGrath the other. It remains to be seen if one of the three nominal looseheads can cover. Given Djougang's experience, not to mention Ireland's historical issues at the scrum, her mere presence on the pitch, let alone performance, will be vital. Neve Jones – hooker When Ireland needed to knuckle down in the Six Nations, they relied on the set-piece. Forwards coach Alex Codling manufactured scoring opportunities for the likes of Aoife Wafer off the lineout. In their initial games against Japan and Spain, Ireland could adopt a predominantly direct approach. With Wafer's early tournament fitness a concern, Neve Jones should be an alternative scoring threat off set-piece. Béibhinn Parsons – wing Back in the squad after suffering two leg breaks in the space of six months. Ireland are in rude health with electric back three options, leaving Parsons in a battle to reclaim her starting spot given the form of Anna McGann. With Amee-Leigh Costigan likely on the other wing and Stacey Flood at fullback, if Ireland do look to spread the ball, they have running threats aplenty.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
The day Galway re-organised hurling's top table
It was an extraordinary rise, simply because the fall had been so spectacular. At the end of July 1973, Galway's hurlers lost to London in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Within two years, they had won the league and an All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since the early 1950s. The achievement was notable at the time but 50 years in retrospect, it is of even greater significance. Since 1975, Galway, who had an at best patchy championship record – one All-Ireland and several final defeats – have been consistently at the top table, even if not always dining sumptuously. Next year, it will be eight seasons since the county last contested an All-Ireland and that is as long as Galway have ever had to wait between final appearances since the breakthrough of 1975 when they would lose in the final to Kilkenny's great team of the time. READ MORE A handful of players actually made it all the way from losing to London to contesting an All-Ireland. It was off the field, however, that they made the big change. MJ Flaherty, known to all as 'Inky' was a hurling icon in the west. His 17 years playing for Galway had brought some rewards – captaining the league winning side of 1951 and a Railway Cup with Connacht in 1947 – but his only All-Ireland final came in his last year, 1953 by which stage he was on the bench but he did play that day when Cork retained their title. Flaherty went on to manage his county later that decade and after the nadir of 1973, he was convinced to take charge once more. There were green shoots in that the county had three years previously won its first under-21 All-Ireland and several of that team graduated. For the 1975 season, the manager concentrated on physical fitness although he did bring in another former great to help with coaching, Josie Gallagher, whose influence was sufficient for John Connolly, the team's captain and only All Star, to credit him with transforming his line-ball striking technique. [ Galway rain on Cork's parade to claim All-Ireland senior camogie title Opens in new window ] All Ireland Hurling Final 1981: Galway's John Connolly gets past Eugene Coughlan of Offaly. Photograph: INPHO/ Billy Stickland From Division Two, they won the league, beating the big three in their knockout matches, Cork, All-Ireland champions Kilkenny and Tipperary. The manager also pressed on them the importance of analysing their game and the team's. 'I encouraged them to be self-critical,' he told Paddy Downey in these pages, 'and to be critical of each other when necessary but not in a hurtful way. I impressed on them that top-class hurling was more than a game, it was an art and if they aspired to be artists, they had no alternative but to practice constantly and develop all their skills'. An All-Ireland quarter-final against B champions Westmeath was the only championship practice they got before facing new Munster champions Cork, who had dethroned Limerick, in the semi-final. The late Joe McDonagh, who would be elected GAA president in 1996, told author Norman Freeman about the impact of the manager. 'Inky kept telling us that we could do it. He kept hammering the themes of self-belief and self-confidence. We felt great. We were superbly fit. 'We felt that Cork might be writing us off in their own minds – the Galway teams of other years satisfied to make a reasonable showing for most of the match. We were determined to give it all we had.' Iggy Clarke playing for Galway in 1984. Photograph: Inpho In what almost became a template for Galway teams, they effectively won the match in the early stages. Three goals within the opening nine minutes from Frank Burke, Connolly and PJ Qualter put them 10 ahead, 3-2 to 0-1. In what would become another recognisable trend, the lead evaporated and although the Westerners did well to keep it topped up, the match ended in a frenzy of one and two-point leads before they succeeded in closing it out, 4-15 to 2-19 before 27,020 spectators. There was no doubting the merit of the win, however, and Galway believed they would have won by more had the match continued for a while longer. Led by the exceptional displays of Seán Silke and Iggy Clarke in the half backs, their defence did enough to limit Cork's highly-regarded attack. It meant a first All-Ireland since 1958 when in an experiment, the GAA had been rotating the byes into the final so that Galway didn't have to play a semi-final in either 1955 or three years later. From that year on, the county had a largely fruitless – one match won in a decade – involvement in the Munster championship until 1969. Their relationship with Cork was different in the 1970s. The team they defeated 50 years ago was on the cusp of the county's last three-in-a-row. Iggy Clarke with a hurley from his playing days at his home in Oranmore. Photograph: Joe O'Shaughnessy Four years later, it was Galway who also called a halt to the attempt at four successive All-Irelands. Again, Kilkenny intervened in the final. A year later, the dawning of a new decade saw Galway finally fulfilled with a dramatic win over Limerick, followed by Connolly's brother Joe giving his timeless oráid - speech. It all began with the win over Cork, 50 years ago this weekend.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Seán Moran: Sabotaging the often dashed and lonely dreams of Limerick football
The late Liam Kearns was in great humour in Páirc Uí Chaoimh back in May, 2003. The former Kerry footballer, who guided Limerick to an All-Ireland Under-21 final in 2000, was now in charge of the Limerick seniors. They had just beaten Munster champions Cork in the provincial first round. It was the county's first A-list championship scalp – Cork or Kerry – since 1965. A big deal. More startlingly, it was achieved pulling away at the end of a comprehensive 10-point victory. By now, we were into the third year of the All-Ireland qualifiers and Kearns testified to the extent to which the new format had psychologically liberated underdogs from the pressures of sudden death and helped them perform. 'The qualifiers helped us big time,' he said. 'They gave us confidence last year.' READ MORE It wasn't the only source of confidence within the previous year. In the 2002 league – when that year's All-Ireland finalists, Armagh and Kerry, had spent the spring in Division Two before getting promoted – Limerick beat Kerry for the first time in an elite football competition. In fact, under today's rules, Limerick, having finished level on 10 points, would have gone up on the basis of head-to-head results. I was reminded of these days by the ongoing disagreement in Munster concerning the changing of championship rules to the advantage of Cork. By settling on a qualification process about which the contestants can now do nothing – seeding determined by final league position when Cork are the only county besides Kerry in either of the top two divisions – the provincial council has caused unhappiness in the other four counties' football teams. Crucially, that unhappiness wasn't shared by Limerick's administrators, who voted to introduce the new format despite the objections of their football team. Limerick's John Quane and Seamus O'Donnell celebrate their victory against Cork in the Munster Senior Football Championship first round in 2003. Photograph: Tom Honan/Inpho That is an ongoing matter but it focuses attention on the whole question of provincial championships. In many ways, former Clare manager Colm Collins was correct when expressing on these pages the opinion that the Munster championship was broken. It was, in his more blunt assessment, 'a joke' that pitches the best team in Ireland against an array of lower-division opponents. As manager of his county for 10 years, Collins had Clare in Division Two of the league for seven of those seasons – finishing as Munster's second county ahead of Cork on five occasions. Within two years of Clare getting relegated to Division Three, suddenly league positions will determine semi-final seeding. It is easy to see why Collins and others might see little justice in the provincial system, but whereas Clare in 1992 and Tipperary 28 years later managed to break through the barrier of disadvantage and win Munster, Limerick footballers have been the ones most consistently tilting at the windmill. As far back as the first open draw in Munster 34 years ago, Limerick reached the provincial final and lost by just two points under the management of another former Kerry player, John O'Keeffe. They followed up the above referenced sensational win over Cork in 2003 by losing the provincial final to Kerry by just five points, having failed to make a fiery opening pay on the scoreboard and also having missed two penalties. A year later, it took a phenomenal catch by Darragh Ó Sé over his own bar to prevent Kerry losing the final in Limerick. They prevailed a week later in Killarney. Dara Ó Cinnéide was the Kerry captain who would lift Sam Maguire two months later in Jack O'Connor's first year in charge. He said that Limerick had pushed them all the way in a year when they felt they were well in contention for the All-Ireland and that their opponents should reset immediately because they had nothing to fear in the qualifiers. Limerick's Tommie Childs is tackled by Kildare's Brendan Gibbons and Brian Byrne in the Tailteann Cup final at Croke Park. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho That practical advice to put the disappointment to one side and get on with it was easier for serial winners Kerry than for a county which would have seen little difference between the Munster title and an All-Ireland – at least in the journey to be travelled between one and the other. In history, Limerick footballers have two 19th-century All-Ireland titles, including the very first one in 1887, which was open draw, and 1896. So the county actually has more All-Irelands than Munsters. They have been desperate to win the provincial title. After the 2004 draw in the Gaelic Grounds, Kearns convened a meeting in a Limerick hotel and the mood suggested that they had been beaten, making the replay immensely challenging. Five years later, back in the final under the management of another Kerry great, Mickey Ned O'Sullivan, they lost by a point to Cork. The following season, another final in Killarney and another one-score defeat by All-Ireland champions Kerry despite John Galvin ripping it up at centrefield and having the shout of a last-minute penalty. He summarised afterwards: 'Another Munster final we have, I suppose, not thrown away, but another one we could have won.' For good measure, the qualifiers threw Limerick in against a Cork team on the way to winning their most recent All-Ireland. It took extra-time and two points to escape that evening. Twelve months on and the county finally navigates the qualifiers all the way to Croke Park for All-Ireland quarter-finals. Their draw: Kerry. This year, Limerick have been building again. Promotion from Division Four and the divisional title as well as a creditable Tailteann Cup final appearance. The footballers, now contending with their county's most successful hurling team, asked that the county support them in voting against a proposal intended to rewire the Munster championship against them and the others. In their history and specifically this century, that trophy is all they have ever wanted – and they were turned down. No wonder manager Jimmy Lee told the Irish Examiner that it felt like they 'had been knifed in the back'.
