Unfazed by what he’s seen so far, Waterford's Noel Connors eyes familiar challenge

Munster SHC semi-final: Cork v Waterford, 4pm ... It’s no shock to hear Noel Connors make a reasoned argument, no matter what the topic. On this occasion the Waterford defender is dissecting the Cork-Tipperary game. Stripping out the lazy thinking. Considering an event on its merits.

“To be honest, we weren’t too surprised by Cork beating Tipperary,” he says.

“That’s a tradition in the Munster championship, which lived up to its reputation, its name of being so unpredictable. Before you ever get to the All-Ireland championship you have a championship there all on its own, with its own traditions and trends, probably a bit like the Ulster football championship. That was a 50-50 game to me, with no clear indications as to who the favourites were.”