Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round Two
SUNDAY
Cork v Clare (2pm, Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh)
Limerick v Tipperary (4pm, TUS Gaelic Grounds)
Since 1976, only two managers have won more than 3 All-Ireland Hurling Championships. Brian Cody’s 11th came in 2015, and back then they said hurling would never see the likes of it again.
John Kiely’s hunger certainly hasn’t waned enough to suggest he’ll skip off into the sunset with anything less. He’s already the greatest The Treaty County have ever had.
One Liam McCarthy may be akin to Oliver Twist. Some day you get sick of the measly portions of mediocrity that get dished out in a culture that is dangerously cyclical.
Several Celtic crosses and you look more like Augustus Gloop. Everyone knows they’ve had more than their fill, but when one gets used to the top table, enough is never enough.
Back for seconds, thirds, fourths and now fifths. Even the great Cody came unstuck at that stage. The country would have been only too glad to see Lar Corbett send the fat Cats packing as Limerick struggled to remain relevant.
That same Tipperary side exited the old Munster Championship with a first round 3-15 to 0-14 defeat to Cork in 2010. Kilkenny beat Dublin by 19 to open their Leinster campaign.
Back then they would have said All-Irelands aren’t won in July. They are now, but the principle remains.
It renders Limerick’s stunning win over Clare that little bit less important and it gives Tipperary hope this weekend. There was evidence last weekend that Limerick aren’t at their best.
No one is, but a win isn’t beyond Tipperary, and it would be more important than in the case of their five-in-a-row denying predecessors. It’s news to no one that this Munster format is cut throat.
But with two points in the bag, this looks the most likely avenue that Limerick come unstuck. You’d expect them to beat Cork and Waterford, two teams impossible to gauge in their inconsistency.
Which is the main factor in fancying Clare to put last weekend’s defeat behind them. The league champions showed no ill effects of an extended spring campaign that brought silverware.
But Limerick’s purple patch was more than a purple patch. Such a lead had them in dreamland. You feel Eibhear Quilligan saves Donnacha Ó Dálaigh’s effort on a more structured day where thoughts and minds don’t wander to the extent that Clare’s did.
Limerick have that effect on you, their aura, their unshakeable belief that comes only from being the best.
Cork showed in defeat to Waterford that they are a little flakier, although they did almost write a heroic comeback story of their own after Damien Cahalane was given his marching orders.
At home, Cork can pull this off. In fact, it’s fairly important that they do.
Their only issue is that Clare find themselves in the same predicament. And given recent form, that may be enough to tip the scales in The Banner’s favour.