Rebels respond as JBM raises the expectations

HARD to believe it was only three weeks ago, Jimmy Barry-Murphy stood underneath the Kinane Stand, and lamented his team’s lethargic ways.

That afternoon Cork had survived against Waterford, and a massive and a marked improvement was called for.

The replay win over Waterford went some distance in achieving this objective, but it was yesterday afternoon Cork showed the full distance they have travelled since their first outing of the summer — a great deal learned in three weeks of championship fare. No, scratch that — a great deal learned since last September’s replay defeat.