Brian Hayes: Cork deserve place in All-Ireland final 

St Finbarr's club man Hayes noted the standard that exists within the Cork training panel, a novelty that, he insists, allowed them to transfer performance levels onto the Croke Park sod. 

HAPPY DAYS: Cork’s Brian Hayes and Dan Morrissey of Limerick. Pic: James Crombie, Inpho

The Cork hurlers' bid to bridge the gap to their last All-Ireland win in 2005 will see them lock horns with Clare - whom they lost the decider to in 2013 - at Croke Park in a fortnight. 

To book their All-Ireland final berth, they overcame a Limerick side with five-in-a-row aspirations.