The positives will far outweigh the black marks for Cork hurlers

Travelling to Thurles on the Sunday morning of May 21, the Cork hurlers knew there was history to be made. Not the sort of history, though, you’d want to be associated with.

Cork’s Patrick Horgan and Shane Fives of Waterford. Pic:©INPHO/James Crombie

Cork had never gone three years without managing at least one victory in the Munster championship. To avoid such ignominy, they’d have to take the reigning All-Ireland champions on their home patch. The team selected to do so contained five players who’d never started a championship match. The remaining 10 had been present inside the whitewash the previous July, when Cork fell to Wexford for the first time in 60 years.

The team selected to do so contained five players who’d never started a championship match. The remaining 10 had been present inside the whitewash the previous July, when Cork fell to Wexford for the first time in 60 years.