Soaked in the Páirc: is there another side of Corkness finally emerging?

Cork has tended to suffer in poor conditions and while they may always have hurling to burn, the hurly burly of what might be called the real stuff hasn’t always come naturally to them.

RIPPED: Cork newcomer Cormac O'Brien leaves the field after Saturday's Allianz League tie between Cork and Limerick. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Looking after No. 1

Nickie Quaid has been the first name on the Limerick team sheet, in a literal and metaphorical sense, for over a decade. While his shot-stopping and handling are second to none, it’s the tempo and accuracy of his restarts that have been fundamental to making Limerick what they are. So, when he made the news late last year over a game of five-a-side, it didn’t bode well for Quaid, for John Kiely, or for Limerick.