Precisely a year ago at this venue it was Tipperary who sleepwalked into an ambush and a ravenous Limerick who pounced upon them.

I’m sure there are some people out there giving me a share of the credit for Cork’s win yesterday. I’ve no doubt that my comments in my column here on Saturday got Cork riled up big time.

There are occasions when referees make life difficult for themselves and yesterday’s first half in the Gaelic Grounds was a prime example of that.

Following an opening week defeat by Tipperary, Cork turned around their Munster SHC campaign with an impressive seven-point win over All-Ireland champions Limerick.

Donal O’Grady assesses how Cork can counter the All-Ireland champions’ gameplan

John Meyler has reacted to Cork’s defeat to Tipperary by making four changes for tomorrow’s Munster SHC Round 2 in the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Cork IFC: Dromtariffe 3-9 Millstreet 1-10

John Meyler has warned of the enormous toll being taken on the GAA’s inter-county players after concerns expressed in Cork over the risk of “life-altering” injuries to elite footballers and hurlers.

Cork legend Diarmuid ‘The Rock’ O’Sullivan has hit out at the county's 'fickle' fans after yesterday's All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Limerick.

Cork hurling management are waiting on the fitness of Mark Ellis and Tim O’Mahony ahead of Sunday week’s Munster final.

So, not all Munster Championship games come with a ticket to the pantheon after all. Yesterday in Thurles the 14,737 in attendance for Cork-Waterford saw a procession of fumbles and fluffed pick-ups, wayward passes and intercepted clearances.

A sending off in hurling affects a game in various ways, writes Donal O’Grady.

Tipperary’s John McGrath described Sunday’s Munster SHC clash with Cork as a game of “two really contrasting halves”.

Michael Breen would have started for Tipperary against Cork yesterday but for a freak injury which will rule him out for at least four weeks.

Michael Breen would have started for Tipperary against Cork yesterday but for a freak injury which will rule him out for at least four weeks.

Christopher Joyce is paying little heed to league results. There are far more important matters at play, insists the Cork hurler.

Clare 0-23 Cork 0-19: First of all, disregard the scoreline. This was anything but a four-point contest.

In a division where football is the religion of choice, Kanturk’s victory in the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling final last Saturday evening was a watershed result.

Pádraig Kearns knew what he was letting himself in for. Mind you, knowing what the task entails doesn’t make the job any easier.

In Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Michael Moynihan posed three key questions ahead of second All-Ireland semi-final. So how about some answers?

When defeated in a big game you cannot wait to get a crack at the same opposition, seeking revenge. There’s a matter of pride and unity of purpose involved. This is a powerful stimulus which provides a strong incentive for a committed response.

Waterford may have lost Tadhg de Búrca but in doing so have gained another rallying call. The multiple motivations the Déise have going into tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final:

In May 2016, we outlined 10 facts that damned Cork hurling. A Munster title, claimed from the first round no less, is the most compelling piece of evidence of their transformation. A review of those statements, though, underlines just how far they’ve come since then.

Systems and sweepers don’t interest Pat Hartnett. He’s a purist. Or at least that’s what he is selling.

Galway are there. Cork and Waterford are nearly there. Hurling is taking its August turns. Lovely late summer cadences.

Tomorrow’s encounter with the Banner will be a horse of a different colour to the previous two outings and will be the Rebels’ toughest game to date, writes Donal O’Grady.

Pat Hartnett doesn’t see any notable shift in mindset or culture as being the root cause of Cork hurling’s latest coming. The players, he insists, are simply doing themselves justice.

If there’s a message Clare want to get across, it’s that they know their support will be outnumbered on Sunday.

Hurling pauses, if only to catch its breath. 

Cork set up a first Munster final date with Clare since 1999 with a polished performance against a supposedly wilier Waterford outfit in a sun-drenched Semple Stadium.

Cork ran riot at times against Tipp but Waterford will question how much Tipp really tested them, writes Anthony Daly.

Kieran Kingston mentioned on these pages last week the Cork management wanted a performance that would make them proud. After 20 minutes in Semple Stadium on Sunday, that had been achieved.

DESPITE eight points from new signing Cian McCarthy, Douglas fell to a surprise 0-22 to 0-20 defeat in the opening round of the Cork SHC on Sunday.

Eoghan Cormican looks ahead to the action in the Cork club championship this weekend.

At half-time, the Cork players and the match officials were left waiting for Clare for a number of minutes in the bitterly cold conditions.