Facing Cork in semi not a shock for Daly

The general consensus less than 10 days ago was that the first All-Ireland hurling semi-final would pit Dublin against Kilkenny for the third time this summer yet Anthony Daly is not shocked to be facing Cork instead.

The Dublin manager, and five other members of the Clare team which claimed the Liam MacCarthy in 1995, have been giving their match predictions for a fanzine run by the Clarecastle club this year and Daly plumped for a 9/1 double on Cork to overcome the Cats and Clare to eliminate Galway prior to the quarter-finals.

“I just thought Kilkenny are the best team ever, but they had to go to a replay with us, had a massive night against Tipp, Waterford brought them to extra-time again — how much can you stay going on?

“I just felt Cork were maybe hurting a bit over (Patrick Horgan’s Munster final) sending-off and what might or might not have happened. I just had a feeling.”

He doesn’t claim to be any sort of oracle and was quick to note that the dismissal of Henry Shefflin altered the tie but he accepts a young Cork side offer a different challenge to that posed by Kilkenny.

“Yeah, they would, it would be different, I suppose. You’ll be looking at different aspects of the play and in some ways it will be a little less tactical in that. They’ve a lot of pace around the field, we’ve a lot of pace around the field, and it might make for a good spectacle out there. I’m not saying it wouldn’t against Kilkenny. Obviously any game against Kilkenny takes on an epic run of it’s own but I think this will be a bit different. Both teams fancy their chances. A Cork team is never going to really fear a Dublin team in an All-Ireland semi-final.

“It’s just another challenge for us again to get the best out of ourselves again.”