Familiarity breeds respect for great rivals

All-Ireland SFC Round 4

Two years ago he patrolled the sidelines on a championship Sunday for the first time in the Gaelic Grounds and experienced a Munster semi-final that shredded his nerves. Cork dangled on the precipice for much of that afternoon before two desperately late goals by Graham Canty and Daniel Goulding baled them out.

Fast-forward 12 months and the narrative of last July’s Munster decider in Páirc Ui Chaoimh followed a similar template. Cork were flat for large chunks of that encounter as Limerick surged to the front and it took another closing scoring salvo before Cork fell over the line with just a point to spare. Tonight the action shifts from provincial familiarity to qualifier uncertainty but Counihan is expecting the pattern of recent years to continue.