Kieran Shannon: Cork need to add urgency to spirit and talent

STILL GOING STRONG: Patrick Horgan of Cork celebrates after scoring a goal during the Munster SHC Round 5 match against Limerick at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

In all our years following the fortunes of the Cork hurlers, it’s hard to recall another season when the team has exited the championship without such a lack of recrimination or regret, certainly without it seeing Croke Park.

Twenty-five years ago a mass following from the county descended on Thurles for an old-school do-or-die Munster semi-final against Clare only to leave it rather chastened. Although by the time the returning convoy had hit Watergrasshill there would have a been a recognition that overall the season had represented huge progress by virtue of winning a national league with such a young team, it would have taken that long to fully vent if not quite process just how much the team had been schooled and outfought and out-smarted by Loughnane’s legion.