Limerick can shake champions
Three years after coming so close to winning the Munster final and following two changes in management, they face holders Cork in the first of the Guinness Munster semi-finals at the Gaelic Grounds tomorrow with more hope than optimism of causing an upset.
Limerick are reported to be quietly confident based on the consistency achieved in recent games and being able to put out a settled team.
Cork's must show they can cope without Setanta Ó hAilpín, who was such an influential figure in their All-Ireland campaign last year. While they had to plan without him for the League, the championship is where they will really be tested.
Showing three changes from the All-Ireland final, with the unfortunate Pat Mulcahy ruled out by injury and Alan Browne effectively retired, questions will be asked about individual Cork players as much as the team itself. Twelve months ago when they started out on their campaign against Clare, they were something of an unknown quantity. But, they acquitted themselves admirably with an 11 points hammering of Clare and almost ended up winning the All-Ireland final, when the decision not to take Joe Deane out of full-forward (where he was being well beaten by Noel Hickey) was seen afterwards as a serious mistake.
The challenge facing the team now will be to prove itself all over again and at individual level there will be pressure of a different kind on the two newcomers, Brian Murphy at right corner-back, and Jonathan O'Callaghan. He is named in the right corner, the position which O hAilpín did so much damage last year, but it was on the wing that the Castletownroche player operated in the League and did so impressively. That was where he made his debut in the opening round against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds, a game incidentally in which Aidan Fitzpatrick, Mark Prendergast and Seanie McGrath played in. Since then, all three opted out of the panel.
While the counties met in the qualifier competition two years ago, when Cork won by a point after some poor refereeing decisions against Limerick, their last championship clash was in 2001, at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Champions for the previous two years, Cork lost by the same margin through an injury sideline cut from Barry Foley.
Sean Óg Ó hAilpín had been injured in a car crash the previous week and Brian Corcoran only came in as substitute and Tom Cashman promptly resigned after only one year in charge.
Corcoran surprised many people by his decision to come back and while it would be presumptuous to suggest that it was a mistake, he might very well be a useful addition to the panel as an impact substitute in attack.
Limerick have a lot of ground to make up, but after what appeared to be a difficult settling in period for Pat Joe Whelahan and the players at the start of the year, considerable progress appears to have been made. I saw them beat the All-Ireland champions on the occasion of the official opening of the Gaelic Grounds at the beginning of the month and, while it was only a tournament game, they impressed.
Interestingly, apart from one change in personnel (Brian Geary at centre-back instead of Pat Sheehan), the team chosen for tomorrow's game is exactly the same as it was named for that game. However, Mark Foley operated at midfield, alongside Clem Smith, and Peter Lawlor played at left half-back, where he starred. And, there's every chance that these are the positions they will occupy from the throw-in against Cork.
At this stage, I believe that the champions will come from the other side of the draw, but, opinions could be revised after this game.
We know what to expect from Cork, more or less largely ignoring their up-and-down form in the League - but it is more difficult to gauge what Limerick at their best are capable of.
On that basis, it's probable that Cork will win, except that I feel that Limerick will really shake them. And, I won't be surprised by a home success.
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