Paul Kerrigan looking to make amends at Semple Stadium

Paul Kerrigan doesn’t have fond memories of Semple Stadium. Mind you, he doesn’t exactly hold fond memories of Tipperary either, but it’s the venue rather than the team it houses that has caused him more grief in recent years.

A week after their Munster final replay defeat to Kerry last July, the Cork footballers landed into Thurles ready to relaunch their championship through the back door just as they had successfully done the previous two years.

Never mind turbulence mid-flight, this particular effort never left the runway. First went Alan O’Connor, the Cork midfielder stretchered off the field with a ruptured cruciate at the end of the first quarter. Next went Kevin O’Driscoll, the Cork forward sent off after 54 minutes. And then went Cork, the 1-21 to 1-13 defeat to Kildare bringing the curtain down on their championship involvement.