Cork may have lost their third competitive game of the summer and exited the championship but do so with their heads held high.

A come-from-behind second-half effort secured Tyrone their second win of the Super 8s series and, in the process, all but guaranteed themselves an All-Ireland semi-final berth.

Cork will have again travelled up the M8 by bus yesterday in preparation for taking on Tyrone this evening in Croke Park.

Cork’s maiden voyage into the Super 8s begins this evening and the challenge facing them couldn’t be any bigger than that posed by the five-in-a-row chasing Dublin.

Cork manager Ronan McCarthy, when asked about his players’ unfamiliarity with Croke Park and whether he had any concerns over such, provided a reply straight out of left field, pulling up a Joe Brolly quote from all of 26 years ago.

Seán White, like many of his Cork teammates, has never played an inter-county fixture at Croke Park.

The inconsistency which plagued Cork football in recent seasons is no longer an issue, according to goalkeeper Mark White.

Cork have not reached the last eight of the championship since 2014, falling at the fourth-round hurdle each summer since. But irrespective of who Cork are pitted against on this occasion, McCarthy is adamant that his team are well capable of progressing to the Super 8s.

Cork manager Ronan McCarthy refused to be drawn on the performance of referee Anthony Nolan, remarking that he’d be “better off” holding his counsel where the man in the middle is concerned.

Just 18,265 souls, the worst crowd for a Cork-Kerry Munster SFC final in 36 years, were treated to entertainment if anything else as the challengers gave Kerry their biggest test in four years.

For Sean O’Shea, there was no bedding-in period. No cameo appearances off the bench to ease him into life at the top grade.

Bobbie O’Dwyer’s recollection is forensic, and not because his son was Cork corner-back in Tralee that night.

The furnishings in Pairc Ui Rinn won’t rival Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano for comfort anytime soon, but no-one was forced to the edge of their seats Saturday night in Cork as the hosts romped to a 21-point Munster SFC semi final victory over Limerick.

Cork have handed out three championship debuts for Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Limerick in Páirc Uí Rinn.

A groin tear means that Nemo Rangers goalkeeper Micheál Martin is battling the clock to be right for their Cork SFC opener on Saturday.

Armagh 1-14 Cork 3-9

Seán Powter will start his first game for the Cork footballers in almost 14 months this weekend.

With Cork unable to do themselves any favours on Saturday, it was the unintentional goodwill of others that has them still in with a slim chance of avoiding the drop.

When Cork football rolled out its 2024 vision document last month, it was generally applauded how pragmatic its proponents like Graham Canty were by acknowledging that Cork were now outside the top 10 teams in the country, in truth, a mid-table Division Two side, and a distant second in Munster.

Ronan McCarthy has included four league debutants for Cork's Division 2 opener against Fermanagh.

It might only be the McGrath Cup, but the Cork footballers, for a variety of reasons, would be best served by ensuring the pre-season silverware is perched at the front of the team bus when it pulls out of Willie Clancy country tomorrow afternoon.

The Cork team to play Clare in the McGrath Cup Final on Saturday at 2pm, has been announced.

Mark White will be between the posts again for Cork on Sunday when they play Limerick in the McGrath Cup, while Chris Kelly, last summer’s junior goalkeeper, will wear number 16.

Cork 2-4 Kerry 3-18

A few of the older patrons in the South Stand in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night may remember the old Buddy Starcher classic ‘History Repeats Itself’. And, had they also been in Thurles last Sunday, the song must surely have resonated with them as this Munster U21 hurling semi-final unfolded.

Seán Hayes finds himself a busier man than usual. Having held the post of Cork U21 football manager from 2014-17, his inter-county duties are normally done and dusted by this time of year.

Cork 1-17 Tipperary 0-9 

Somewhere, somehow Cork is haemorrhaging, or squandering, an abundance of football talent, writes Colm Cooper. 

The Cork football team to face Tipperary in Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final contains two championship debutants.

The Cork football team to face Tipperary in Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final contains two championship debutants.

Despite an “up and down” league campaign, the Cork footballers are heading in the right direction, according to midfielder Ian Maguire.

Debutant Ronan O’Toole is one of three changes on the Cork football side for Sunday’s final Allianz FL Division 2 clash with Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park (3pm).

Tipperary 3-16 Cork 1-16: A dominant second-half showing from Tipperary in the curtain-raiser at Páirc Uí Chaoimh handed the Premier footballers their second competitive victory over Cork in three years.

McGrath Cup

The final of the Red Mills Open Unraced Stake, worth €6,000 to the winner, was the main attraction on the ten race card at Curraheen Park on Saturday night with victory going to the 5/4 favourite Burgess Dubh (Hondo Black-Borna Luck) before a big crowd in 28.57 on a surface rated .10 fast for 525 and .05 for 330.

St Francis Coll, Rochestown 1-6 Clonakilty CC 0-7: Conor Russell’s goal was the key score as last year’s defeated finalists St Francis College, Rochestown advanced to the Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-finals with victory over Clonakilty CC at Newcestown yesterday.

Cloughduv 1-19 Clonakilty 0-10: Cloughduv had little difficulty in seeing off Clonakilty in the Cork JHC quarter-final tie at Brinny yesterday.

Kerry 0-16 Cork 1-12 (AET): Almost two hours after the first ball was thrown into the Tralee sky did the pendulum hang still; Kerry’s defence of their Munster and All-Ireland crowns intact, if only just.

Munster Post Primary SAFC semi-final: Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 0-12 Clonakilty CC 0-6.

Clonakilty CC 2-15De La Salle, Macroom 1-11

And our winners are:

FURTHER news is emerging about the new ‘baby’ Jaguar saloon — the XE — which will be launched officially in London next month.