'If it comes down to a hurling match, Cork will have too much for Limerick' says Pat Mulcahy

Mulcahy bullish about Rebels landing a third straight SHC win over Limerick

STAYING CLOSE: Conor Fitzgertald, Limerick, is tackled by Pat Mulcahy, Cork. Pic: Damien Eagers / SPORTSFILE.

The last time we checked in with Pat Mulcahy before the 2021 All-Ireland final, he was brimming with belief.

Few were anticipating Cork would be able to upset the odds against Limerick and so it transpired, but coming away from their 2006 All-Ireland final captain in Charleville that day you felt at the very least there was a way.

The hangover of that 16-point hammering in 2021 extended into the following two seasons before the pain subsided with that outrageous game in Ballintemple 12 months ago, backed up in another mesmerising game in Croke Park.

Needless to say, Newtownshandrum man Mulcahy is buzzing again this week, convinced that Cork can inflict a third straight championship defeat on his close neighbours.

“I group this Cork squad now into three groups, the older generation – Patrick Horgan and Seamus Harnedy and obviously there is a sense that time is running out there, but they have managed to keep themselves in really good shape.

“There’s the middle group, the Mark Coleman group, who have had a lot of losses but they're at an age where they're at their prime, they've reached a level of maturity physically, and I think they too realise the time is running out and they've got to do something.

“Then you marry that with the younger group who have won two U20 All-Ireland titles. You know, for their winners, they know how to win and they’re bringing an air of confidence and adding that to the older groups, which is hugely important.

“That confidence is probably the biggest thing that had been lacking as it was in 2021. Even when they hit the couple of speed bumps against Waterford and Clare last year, they still have that belief in themselves that they were as good as the teams that beat them. 

"When it came to it, they had the pace on Limerick last year on both occasions. Shane Barrett played a huge part in both of those games.” 

It certainly was in Limerick’s half-back line where Cork made hay last year and Mulcahy spots opportunities there again, though not as much after some recent surgery.

“Seeing how Tipp did against Limerick, I really fancied Cork’s chances because Limerick struggled in the half-back line.

“But bringing (Barry) Nash out there alongside Kyle Hayes adds a very different dynamic. They can definitely get at (Diarmaid) Byrnes, 100% get at him, but they need the space to do it.

“Cork this year remind me of Rory McIlroy at Augusta. I think you’ll see them do the spectacular then being reeled back and then going again. Cork have the firepower for Limerick, the pace, they have everything going for them except the home ground. There is going to be a massive intensity. This Limerick team also know that time is coming to an end for them.

“A lot is going to be thrown at Cork and they will have to deal with that. It’s going to be incredibly physical and mental but they should be well able to cope with it. If it comes down to a hurling match, I think Cork will have too much for them.” 

Mulcahy was slightly surprised to hear John Kiely feel the need to rally the Limerick following for this game. 

“I thought it was interesting. It’s not like him. I think the support for Cork, for a couple of reasons, is incredible. The hunger for success is so big that we’re bringing massive crowds to matches and I think the big thing for Limerick was that they don’t want to be outdone in their own stadium for numbers.” 

Mulcahy would like to see referee Liam Gordon stamp his authority to ensure there are no flashpoints as have been seen in other championship fixtures.

“The big thing to me is the fighting before matches. I think that’s absolutely ridiculous. I think there's a very simple way of dealing with that. Liam Gordon goes into each dressing room before the match and tells them, ‘The first person to do this off the field.’ Once the players look into the whites of the referee’s eyes and knows what he is about, that cuts it all out.

“I don’t think we do enough in hurling as they do in rugby with pre-match engagement with the referee. What happened before the Tipperary match where every player was wrestling beforehand, it was appalling. It was really poor. But if a referee tells all of them beforehand, it cuts out a lot of the messing. "

For the past three seasons, a Clare-Limerick trilogy has been touted only for the third leg not to materialise in Croke Park. The same now is being spoken of Sunday’s pairing.

“Whether it’s in a Munster final or in the All-Ireland stages, they’re definitely going to meet again,” says Mulcahy. “I see it being a major rivalry over the next 12 to 18 months.”