Subscriber

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

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

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

Tue, 30 May, 2023 - 07:30

Kieran Shannon

Kieran Shannon is an award-winning sportswriter renowned for big interviews, insightful columns and an unrelenting focus on high‑performance sport.

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.

This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in