Cork and Clare reignite rivalry at Semple for place in Munster final

By Peter O’ Dwyer

It might be time to dial the expectation levels right down for the clash of Cork and Clare today as realistically it just can’t match last September, or can it?

In all likelihood, it can’t. This Munster SHC semi-final might be more likely to resemble their provincial clash last year than the swashbuckling contests that had the country transfixed last September, but thankfully even half that excitement will make for another enthralling encounter this week today in Thurles.

It will be Cork’s third outing in championship action at Semple already this summer having required a replay to see off Waterford in the quarters – a performance that illustrated nothing of the brilliance exhibited last September yet strangely encapsulated a nagging doubt about this Cork team.

Inconsistency seems to be the buzz word around Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s side, and with good reason.

Last week’s 14-point win over Waterford was as impressive as the initial outing against a talented and spirited Déise outfit was disappointing.

Taking just the forward unit, it took championship debutant Alan Cadogan to step up to the plate and register crucial scores to keep Cork afloat in the opening contest whereas last week the forwards combined for a total of 25 points with Seamus Harnedy, Conor Lehane, Bill Cooper and Pa Horgan all contributing heavily with much-improved showings.

Therein lies the unpredictability of this Cork unit. Similarly, it can be hard to gauge their form over the last 12 months.

That might be harsh when you consider they reached both provincial and All-Ireland finals and came within a few seconds of claiming the biggest prize of all.

Against that however, both finals were lost and Jimmy Barry’s men were relegated to Division 1B – a tier they’ve since climbed out of again but only after a very mixed campaign.

It’s certainly been a topsy-turvy year for the Leesiders.

Interestingly, despite the considerable achievements of contesting last year’s All-Ireland, JBM has installed a new-look spine to the side.

Damien Cahalane has assumed the full-back berth with Mark Ellis manning the number six shirt; Aidan Walsh has slotted into midfield with Bill Cooper now seemingly first choice at centre-forward.

For now at least, we can only take their most recent performance as the best indicator of where Cork are and at that rate they certainly look well primed to pose the All-Ireland champions a huge challenge.

If the likes of Lehane, Cooper and Horgan can take the form shown last week into today’s encounter, they’ll fancy their chances of turning Davy Fitzgerald’s men over just as they did in Munster a year ago.

Clare are another side many will be eager to size-up after a league campaign that saw them dumped out at the semi-final stage by a Tipperary side that has since lost to Limerick in the other Munster semi.

Heading into that game, it was Tipp’s defence – leaking goals all spring - that seemed most in peril of shipping a heavy score against Clare’s nippy inside forward line.

Instead, the Premier subdued the Claremen’s threat relatively easily while causing plenty of trouble for their opponents at the other end.

That of course was the league and many observers feel Davy will have been quite satisfied to have stalled expectation levels where they are before unleashing the full force of his young side heading into the summer.

Podge Collins will be fresh and available for Fitzgerald’s men having been withdrawn from the football panel for their clash with Waterford at Fraher Field yesterday.

Shane O’ Donnell however won’t be lining out as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained last month in club action.

In total, there are three changes from the side that beat Cork in last year’s All-Ireland final replay with goalkeeper Donal Tuohy, corner-back Jack Browne and left-half forward Peter Duggan handed starts by Fitzgerald.

Podge Collins and Tony Kelly are named to start in the corners with Conor McGrath at the edge of the square.