Ciarán Murphy: Cork may be willing to lose the Munster battle to win the All-Ireland war

Irish Times

3 days ago

We were in conversation with Diarmuid O'Sullivan, John Allen and Jamie Wall last week, at a Second Captains live show in the Everyman in Cork City. We booked the three lads a month ago, when we gazed into our crystal ball and saw a town abuzz with
Munster final
anticipation, supporting a team on an inexorable march to an All-Ireland title – their first since Allen was manager, and The Rock was in his pomp.
The conversation we ended up having was rather different. This final against
Limerick
coming up on Saturday? Ahhh... we could take it or leave it. If you offered me a narrow defeat with a creditable performance, I'd snap your hand off.
Cork
need to focus on the big one. Lose the battle, win the war.
This seemed to me to be a masterclass in expectation-management, and not even within the confines of the 'yerra' punditry framework, although I suppose that is the point. If you're yerra-ing, and everyone knows you're yerra-ing, then surely that neutralises the yerra (I've already used that word far too often.)
What I'm trying to say is that when they said a narrow Cork defeat would be acceptable, I did actually take them at their word. This is not what they'd have said a month ago, but the memory of that beating in the Gaelic Grounds on May 18th, when Limerick tore Cork asunder 3-26 to 1-16, has scarred them.
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I think if you offered any reasonable Cork hurling supporter a defeat by three points or less on Saturday evening, they'd take it – Munster hurling final tradition bedamned. Expecting the gap between a 16-point defeat and winning an All-Ireland title to be closed in one fell swoop seems a little optimistic. In that context, a performance to build on is what the Cork public are looking for.
Seldom has one round-robin game had such an outsize impact on how the rest of the championship views itself. Up until May 18th, Cork were favourites, but Tipperary and Kilkenny would not have feared them by any means. Clare sat that round of Munster games out, having surrendered control of their own destiny by losing to Tipperary the week before. But if they could ride their luck and get out of Munster, Cork would hold no fears for them either.
The big question going into this championship season was whether Limerick could regather themselves having lost the chance at immortality last year. Our answer came in devastating fashion within the first two minutes in the Gaelic Grounds last month.
Limerick manager John Kiely during the Munster Chanpionship game against Cork at the Gaelic Grounds on May 18th. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
When Barry Nash found Cian Lynch, and Lynch found Aaron Gillane, and Gillane found the back of the net, there were barely 130 seconds gone. The writing was on the wall early.
Cork's full-back line was exposed there, and it would continue to be exposed. Rob Downey's fitness, or lack thereof, was ruthlessly pounced upon – and whether he is selected or not for this Saturday will tell a tale. But Limerick scored as much last year in defeat at the Páirc than they did last month – 3-26 was good enough for a two-point defeat last year, and good enough for a 16-point win this year. It would be churlish to suggest there aren't problems all over the field for Cork.
What was most stark was the desire that Limerick showed. Diarmuid O'Sullivan said he had never seen
John Kiely
so animated on the sideline as he was that day. Given Kiely is never less than demonstrative, that's a fair statement to make. He's managed in five All-Ireland finals, and O'Sullivan has had a ringside seat near him on quite a few occasions as a Cork selector, so he knows what he's talking about.
As much as there was hand-wringing over Cork, that was a key question many people asked in the aftermath of that game. How could Limerick care that much? How could they want it that badly? That is what marks out the great from the good. Every time they heard Cork described as All-Ireland favourites, it was a dagger.
It would be absurd to think that Limerick want this Munster final more than Cork – they're going for seven provincial titles in a row, for God's sake. But that is nevertheless what you're left with. Limerick have their foot on Cork's throat now, and they will be loath to remove it.
The team with the most naked desire for a provincial title this weekend must surely be
Galway
. A Leinster title would frank some of the progress that has undoubtedly been made since their spineless showing in Nowlan Park in the first round of matches in this year's championship. After that, it looked like being a very short season.
They have turned it around to the extent that their fans will travel in expectation of a performance, if not a result. And it's been seven years since their last title too. In that space of time
Kilkenny
haven't been good enough to win even one All-Ireland, so that's far too long for Galway to go without winning at least a provincial title or two. The standard has not been daunting, and yet Galway haven't been able to capitalise.
Galway certainly won't be pulling any punches this weekend. I don't think Cork will be either, but whether it's enough to restore some of the belief that has been lost in the last three weeks – that's another question.