Cork can heal hurt and claim three in-a-row

When Michael Shields admitted he was glad Kerry hadn’t reached the league final, he might as well have been talking for the neutral too. National final or not, it would have been a charade compared to a potential Munster semi-final six weeks later.

We would have seen nothing of the mouthwatering match-ups that will likely take place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on June 10.

Thanks to Mayo, that isn’t the case and we won’t be subjected to a round of shadow-boxing at headquarters tomorrow.