Make or break time for Cork and Tipp

IT is make or break time for the minor hurlers of Cork and Tipperary in tomorrow’s Munster championship semi-final playoff in Thurles (3.30pm).

The winners play Clare in a June 24 semi-final while it’s season over for the losers.

With Waterford and Limerick meeting in the other semi-final besting Tipp and Cork respectively, it begs the question – have the two Munster underage superpowers lost their grip on this championship?

Between them they have dominated the roll of honour, Tipperary on top with 36 titles, then Cork (32), trailed by Limerick (5), Waterford (4), Clare (3). From 1993 to 2008 they owned the championship, eight titles each, but Clare (2009) and Waterford (2010) have broken that cosy cartel, and Limerick have joined the party.

Cork manager John Considine isn’t surprised by the changed landscape. “Without doubt there’s been a levelling off as Limerick, Clare and Waterford have made huge strides. Look at the schools – some people would say Limerick had a school and a half in the Harty Cup final this year (Árd Scoil Rís v Charleville CBS) with several of the Charleville players from county Limerick. Then you had St. Flannan’s who did very well in the semi-final, and Clare also had four lads on the Árd Scoil Rís team while Waterford have had De La Salle at the top end for the past few years. So it’s not a huge surprise to see those counties coming through at minor level.”

There’s another factor too, he reckons – home advantage. “Since they introduced home-and-away, the home venue has been crucial. This year all three games have gone to the home team, last year, the same. With young fellas, especially in their first away game, it’s a huge event.”

Considine is hoping to buck that trend in Thurles. “Yes, but having gone to Limerick already is a big plus. We did nothing in that game, we were very flat, but this has changed, guys are trying to express themselves now, and once you have that you’re halfway there. In ten days these guys will have played in the Gaelic Grounds, in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and in Semple Stadium – that’s great experience.”

CORK: G Minihane; Alan Dennehy, C Barry, Anthony Dennehy; C Walsh, C Spillane (c), K Burke; S O’Keeffe, K McIntyre; A Cadogan, D Cahill, C Murphy; P O’Callaghan, D Sweetman, R O’Shea.

TIPPERARY: S Hassett; J Bourke, J Meagher, J Peters; T Hamill, J Forde, C Barrett; B Maher, E Fennelly; C Hammersley, D McCormack, T Kirwan; P Ralph, L McGrath, C Horan.