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Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Cork believe goals win games but Limerick's sharpshooting can get the job done
The Cork hurlers have scored 19 more goals than their Limerick counterparts so far this year – proof if needed that not all journeys towards silverware follow the same route. Pat Ryan's Rebels enter Saturday's Munster SHC final having bagged 27 goals over the course of the season – league and championship – while Limerick have managed just eight. The Rebels have scored at least one goal in all 11 of their competitive outings in 2025, while Limerick have raised green flags in just five of their 10 outings. Yet 50 per cent of Limerick's eight-goal haul was scored against Cork – one in the league and three in the group stages of the provincial championship. READ MORE But if Cork have been dealing largely in the currency of goals, Limerick continue to profit from their long-range shooting, the Treaty County proving to be masters of outpointing the opposition. John Kiely's men were the only one of the five teams in the Munster SHC to break the 100-point mark this term, raising 101 white flags. Given their contrasting attacking weaponry, the defensive shapes of both teams will be telling on Saturday as to how each intend on stemming the other's scoring threat. 'From my experience, you'd always set up differently regarding playing a team that you know are predominantly goalscorers. You'd set up a different way if you know that they're going to be an outside and shooting team,' explains former Tipperary hurler Patrick 'Bonner' Maher. 'Your tactics would be justified by the team you're playing, generally. That's how we would have always approached it. 'I'm looking forward to both Cork and Limerick coming up against each other and just seeing those two different styles.' Limerick's Shane O'Brien scores a goal against Galway in the NHL Division 1A game at the Gaelic Grounds. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Cork have had 10 different goalscorers with Brian Hayes topping the list on eight goals – five in the league and three in the championship. Hayes has also been directly involved in setting up as many goals as he has scored. Limerick's goalscoring has been shared by four players in 2025 – Shane O'Brien (three), Aaron Gillane (two), Adam English (two) and Will O'Donoghue (one). Cork really hit a goalscoring streak at the latter end of the league – netting 13 goals in their last three games, including the league final win over Tipp. That green-flag frenzy helped the Leesiders win a first Division One league title since 1998. Goal-scoring is a factor Cork coach Donal O'Rourke spoke about at the launch of this year's Munster Championship. 'We'd done a lot of work on it. It's a big thing with us because we know with the style of player we have that we're going to create goal chances,' he stated. 'Pat really made it a priority. We did zone in on it and we've kind of borne the fruits a little bit over the last couple of games. But it's not something we want to take our eye off. We just need to keep being very clinical and execute the chances when they're presented to us.' Generally, they have continued to do so in the games since – scoring two against Clare, four against Tipperary, one against Limerick and a brace against Waterford. However, if Cork's inside line has been wreaking havoc this season then Limerick's much vaunted middle eight has continued to break the spirit of opponents with accurate long-range attacks. Limerick had 11 different scorers when they beat Cork in the group stages last month. The midfield and half-forward line axis contributed 1-11 with Adam English, Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch and Tom Morrissey all getting on the scoreboard. Limerick's approach seems to be based on a target of manufacturing around 40 shots per game – confident that with such a number of efforts their long-range shooters can afford to drop some wide but still outscore the opposition. Results in recent years would suggest that's pretty sound logic. Kilkenny's Martin Keoghan scores a goal against Offaly in the Leinster Championship third round fixture at Nowlan Park. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho When the sides met at the Gaelic Grounds last month, Limerick had 39 shots and Cork had 31. Limerick won that fixture pulling up. That also just happens to be Limerick's most productive day this season in terms of goalscoring – Gillane netting two and English with the other. 'You can't take it away from Limerick either, if Limerick want to score goals they're well able to score goals too,' adds Maher. 'They can mix it both ways. As can Cork. Both teams have varying styles, that's a great thing to have in your armour when you're a team that can mix it.' And the same is true of Sunday's Leinster SHC final. No team has scored more goals than Kilkenny during this year's provincial championships – Derek Lyng's side amassing 15 goals over the course of the round-robin stages. Galway scored nine goals, with six of those coming against Antrim. Kilkenny scored at least one goal in all of their group games, while Galway failed to raise green flags in two matches. However, Galway were the highest point-scoring team across the two provincial championships, the Tribesmen scoring 131 points. Kilkenny hit 113 points. The four respective Munster and Leinster finalists have carved different scoring pathways to this stage of the season. And provincial hurling final weekend is once again likely to demonstrate there remains more than one way to skin a cat. Cork's goals in 2025 League 2 v Wexford; 1 v Limerick; 1 v Tipperary; 1 v Kilkenny; 6 v Clare; 4 v Galway; 3 v Tipp. Total: 18 Championship 2 v Clare; 4 v Tipperary; 1 v Limerick; 2 v Waterford Total: 9 Overall: 27 Limerick's goals in 2025 League 1 v Cork; 1 v Galway; 1 v Wexford Total: 3 Championship 2 v Tipperary; 3 v Cork Total: 5 Overall: 8
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘They thought we were finished'- John Kiely hits back at Limerick doubters ahead of Munster final against Cork
WITH Limerick looking primed to get back to where they once belonged, John Kiely believes the calibre of coaching provided by men like Paul Kinnerk has been the driving force behind their remarkable consistency. Since Kiely took the reins in 2017, he and Kinnerk have become the most successful John-and-Paul duo since Lennon and McCartney. 2 Limerick manager John Kiely with the Mick Mackey Cup after the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship final last year 2 Limerick and John Kiely face Cork this weekend in the Munster SHC final The top of the charts is a familiar vantage point for a A record-extending seventh consecutive Munster SHC title is also at stake against 'It's only through good coaching that players are going to improve, be it in their conditioning or their hurling. READ MORE ON GAA "And we've got fantastic coaches who've been involved with the players over the last nine years — just incredible coaches. 'Paul Kinnerk leads the coaching programme and, as we all know, Paul leaves no stone unturned. His attention to detail is unrivalled. 'But most importantly, his innovation in terms of his coaching, in terms of the impact he can make on a game through his coaching over multiple seasons. "I think it can be seen in how our team has developed over the last eight years.' Most read in GAA Hurling While coaching expertise is the mechanism that keeps the Limerick machine functioning so efficiently, affording gifted players like Cian Lynch a licence for individual expression is also a key component. 'Like something out of the French Revolution' - RTE GAA pundit Donal Og Cusack slams Dublin star's reckless swipe Lynch's assist for Adam English's goal in the recent round-robin win over Cork was a moment of magic. But is it something that can be coached? Kiely said: 'No, that's just him. That's just Cian. Being a good coach, sometimes you want to put too much of your own will and shape to everything. 'I think there's also an acknowledgement that good coaching is allowing players to be themselves and bring their natural attributes and skill-sets and flair to the game of hurling — or any game really, for that matter. 'For Cian to be able to do that now at this stage in his career, I think it's brilliant. It reflects well on Paul and all the coaches that a player can express himself on the pitch. 'I think we've all come to expect that Cian has that ability to find a pass and see movement where others can't see it. "It's a joy to watch and all we can do is ensure that the environment encourages that flair. 'And when it doesn't happen, it doesn't come off, there's nobody going to be giving out, 'Why did you do that?' It's a case of on to the next one and try it again.' When their quest for a historic Liam MacCarthy Cup five-in-a-row was foiled by Cork last summer, the likelihood of the result marking the beginning of the end of an era shaped the debates about the future of this Limerick team. Six of their starters against the same opposition last month are now on the far side of 30. Yet they made a mockery of suggestions that the end is nigh by producing one of their most impressive displays to run out 16-point winners. And Kiely cited recently retired Munster rugby ace Peter O'Mahony, who was appointed Ireland captain at the age of 34, as an example of what is possible in the twilight of one's career. He stated: 'We've always done right by the lads medically. If they weren't fit, they didn't play. We've always treated them extremely well that way. That's being borne out now. 'They're really, really strong. I think the support that's there for the players now, it means they can go on for many, many more years than what they would have done 20 years ago even. 'I think you can see that in the professional game of rugby, where players are peaking in their early 30s. Peter O'Mahony is a perfect example. 'I think it's really, really important that we acknowledge that the envelope for players to enjoy it is there. We don't almost pre-empt an earlier than necessary stepping-away from the game. 'We need to make sure that the boys can enjoy the time playing the game that they love. 'I think that's the most important part of it and acknowledging along the way that there are going to be dips in their form, dips in terms of their physical readiness, and we have to try and support them through that the best we can. 'But definitely there are much, much longer careers now. Look at Patrick Horgan, he's a perfect example of it. It's great to see.' Cork ace Horgan, hurling's all-time top scorer, and Kilkenny's TJ Reid are both still going strong, aged 37, at the highest level of the game. Asked if he reckons any of his players could match that longevity, Kiely insisted: 'Absolutely, yeah. Why not? Maybe longer. I think that's all doable.' Now in his ninth season at the helm, Kiely's tenure got off to a relatively inauspicious start. Limerick fell to Kilkenny at the first hurdle in the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2017. After losing their Championship opener to Clare in a Munster semi-final. With the benefit of hindsight, it would be easy to assume that he could already see the glory days on the horizon. After all, the Shannonsiders captured that year's All-Ireland Under-21 title with a team that included seven future All-Stars. ON A LIM But Kiely laughed: 'All I saw coming was a phone call to say, 'Thanks very much' at the end of 2017! I spent four months waiting for the call. 'I'm glad my phone wasn't working, whatever it was, or somebody had the wrong number. That's all I saw coming. 'We knew we had made improvements — of course we did. The impact of the coaching had definitely begun to embed, I suppose. 'On reflection now, you'd have to say that to get a team to a level of performance takes time. "And for people to get to know each other, to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, to embed principles into your coaching and your playing, it takes time. 'We now have a great appreciation of how long that actually takes.' And while the chance to achieve something unprecedented slipped from their grasp at the penultimate stage of last year's Championship. Kiely does not lament the shedding of the additional baggage that they had to carry throughout the journey. He said: 'The first words out of everybody's mouth that you'd meet when you go to the shop or go to the post office or go to Mass — it was almost the first line at Mass. 'So it's definitely no harm that it's finished with. 'It would have been lovely to do it, of course it would, but such is sport and we move on to the next challenge and we don't look back very much at all. 'You have to embrace the hurt, you have to embrace the disappointment and you have to try and make yourself better. 'Definitely 2024 is in the rear-view mirror.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Limerick v Cork: What time, what channel and all you need to know about the Munster SHC final
Limerick and Cork go head-to-head in this weekend's Munster SHC final which will be played at the Gaelic Grounds. Limerick got the better of Cork in their round robin clash and took top spot in the table. Cork will be looking to avenge their defeat in the earlier round. Both sides won two games, drew one and lost one in the round robin. Limerick are going for their seventh Munster title in a row while Cork will be hoping to upset the Treaty's party looking for their first title since 2018. Here's everything you need to know. Where and when is it on? The match takes place at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Saturday June 7 throw-in at 6pm. Where can I watch the game? The game will be live on RTÉ 2 with coverage starting at 5.15pm. As well as that, you can follow the action as it happens with Irish Examiner Sport's liveblog on Saturday afternoon. Who's the referee? Thomas Walsh will be the man in the middle for the final. What can I read about and listen to on Our reporters will be building up to the final throughout the weekend and previewing the game ahead of Sunday's throw-in. Listen to Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan, Mark Landers and Liam Sheedy on this week's episode of Dalo's Hurling Show.
The Irish Sun
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Cork suffer big blow ahead of Munster final vs Limerick as Pat Ryan admits he's facing mounting headache
CORK will have to plan without Ger Millerick for their Munster SHC final showdown with Limerick. The defender was one of the Rebels' top performers in 2 Ryan conceded they have fitness concerns over a few other stars 2 Millerick picked up the injury in Sunday's do-or-die round-robin finale And Cork manager Pat Ryan revealed last night: 'He'll be out for about three to four weeks — he has a fracture in his finger. "It's not too bad but it needs to be in a splint for three weeks so hopefully he'll be back for the next part of the All-Ireland series.' Robbie O'Flynn is available for selection after missing the clash with the Déise. But there remains uncertainty over Niall O'Leary, Declan Dalton and captain Rob Downey, who were also absent at the weekend. Read More On GAA Ryan said: 'If they don't train on Saturday, they won't be available for selection, to start anyway. 'They're all back doing running and they're all back with the physios doing their rehab, but getting back on to the field and training with the team is a different thing.' Ryan also admitted 'Our job is to make sure there's value for money for fans' Stand tickets are priced at €50. Terrace tickets will set punters back €40. Most read in GAA Hurling He added: 'It is difficult for people. I'd especially think there should be a different terrace price.' Meanwhile Galway boss Micheál Donoghue has joined the chorus 'Like something out of the French Revolution' - RTE GAA pundit Donal Og Cusack slams Dublin star's reckless swipe Clare, Waterford, Offaly, Antrim and Wexford all waved the hurling Championship goodbye over the weekend, while the Tribe played three games in as many weeks to reach the Leinster final against Kilkenny on June 8. And whoever loses will go into the All-Ireland quarter-finals to face opponents who will be playing for at least the second weekend in a row. The Clarinbridge man knows that something had to give in terms of a split season. But he feels the inter-county schedule needs more breathing space. He said: 'I would be in full agreement. I think the three weeks on the spin is really hard. I think there should definitely be another break in between. 'In my view, the league needs to be restructured. "I think, as an example, we had half our league games played in 14 days this year as well, which was absolutely mental. 'I think this time of the year when teams start getting knocked out, particularly in Munster, there's always a shout to say, 'Why are they gone?', and, 'Why are they still in it?', and whatever. 'As I said, I think in the current structure maybe an extra week or two weeks just to space it out for those elements really.'
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Munster hurling final tickets up to €50 for the stand
The tickets for the Munster SHC final between Limerick and Cork at TUS Gaelic Grounds have been priced at €50 for the stand for adults and €40 for the terrace. It is a €5 increase on last year's final between Limerick and Clare at Semple Stadium and a €10 increase on the 2023 showdown. Students and OAPs can avail of a €5 discount, while juvenile tickets will cost €10. Tickets for the final, which takes place at 6pm on June 7th in Limerick, will not go on general sale and will be distributed through county boards. READ MORE By comparison, the Leinster council have made 20,000 tickets available for free for under-14s for the Leinster hurling final between Kilkenny and Galway in Croke Park on June 8th, a double-header that also includes Kildare against Laois in the Joe McDonagh final. Tickets are €40 for the stand and €30 for Hill 16 for the final and are available on general sale. The scheme reflects the struggle to fill Croke Park for recent finals, with only 24,483 for the last final between Kilkenny and Galway in 2023, and 35,484 for the final last year between Kilkenny and Dublin. Meanwhile, the 44,023 capacity of TUS Gaelic Grounds is expected to sell out for the Munster final due to high demand.
