It's a long time since Cork last won the Munster SFC title

AS Cork prepare for the Munster SFC quarter-final against Limerick this Sunday at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (2pm), they won’t need to be reminded of the last time the Rebels lifted provincial silverware.

It was the month Spain retained their European Championship title after a 4-0 win over Italy, Ken Bates was owner of Leeds United, financially troubled Rangers were voted into the third division of Scottish football, and Joe Daley won his lone career major title by winning the Senior Players Championship in Golf. The month was July and the year was 2012, and a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

The Rebels were in their pomp back then, one of the top dogs in football under the stewardship of Conor Counihan. It was Cork’s third Munster success in five seasons, and they were just under two years on from claiming Sam Maguire. On top of that, the Leesiders were Division 1 league champions in 2010, ’11 and ’12.

It was a wonderful time to be a Rebel, and winning the Munster championship wasn’t a request, it was a demand. Little did we think leaving the TUS Gaelic Grounds on that summer's day 12 years ago that the good times would be slowly coming to an end.

The Rebels did lose narrowly by two points in the 2013 Munster football final to Kerry below in Killarney, but Counihan stepped down as boss in August of that year and if we are being honest, Cork haven’t had a huge amount to shout about in the many years afterwards. There have been green shoots over the last couple of years though under current incumbent John Cleary.

The Rebels have lost Munster finals in 2014, ’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ‘20 and ’21. Losing every decider to the old enemy Kerry apart from the one that probably hurt the most which was 2020 when Cork lost to Tipperary down the Páirc. The provincial championships might have diminished a small bit for some counties, but for the likes of Cork, winning one would be a huge success.

As Cleary’s charges take to the field this Sunday for the encounter with Limerick, there will be a steely determination to have a right crack off the Munster championship. It will no doubt be one of the top targets. Since the Castlehaven club man took the reins initially on an interim basis in March 2022 before getting the gig full time in July of that year, Cork have no doubt made huge strides forward. But, one thing they will want to do is make a big impression in Munster.

The Rebels did give Kerry food for thought in the semi-final in 2022 for about 55 minutes before eventually losing 0-23 to 0-11 at Páirc Uí Rinn. Last year would have been a major disappointment in terms of the Munster championship, as Cork went down by a point away to Clare in the quarter-final, especially when Kerry were on the other side of the draw.

That’s not the case this season, if Cork win on Sunday, they will head down to Killarney two weeks later to take on Kerry in the semi-final. Cork shouldn’t fear anyone, they come into the championship with a buzz and momentum behind them after finishing strongly in the Allianz Division 2 football league ending up in fourth place. They need to be focused.