The Echo Sport Podcast: Cork GAA media ban, key weekend for hurlers and footballers, U21 football crackers

The Echo Sport Podcast takes in all the latest GAA action. Now in its third season, every week Éamonn Murphy will be joined by The Echo team including Barry O'Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.

We discuss the ongoing Cork County Board media ban, which was brought in 13 months ago and prevents reporters from attending monthly delegate meetings. Information about commercial developments is still emerging but some clubs would rather journalists were allowed attend to ensure transparency.

In the current climate, that makes perfect sense but will the Cork GAA executive allow it?

There's a massive weekend on the horizon for the Cork hurlers and footballers.

John Cleary's side are off to Monaghan in what is a vital game if they're to have a shot at Division 2 promotion, though the hosts will be eager to bounce back from a loss to high-flying Roscommon. It took a Chris Óg Jones hat-trick to snatch a one-point win over Westmeath, which doesn't suggest the Rebels have to tools to make the step up to the top flight.

However, are we expecting too much from Cork football?

They're effectively a top-12 side on the basis of league and championship results over the past few seasons so why what right do Cork have to get the better of the likes of Westmeath? There's a SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh factor too where games are higher scoring and more open on such an expansive pitch, which other counties love to sample.

The experience of Ruairí Deane, Ian Maguire and Brian Hurley was a major factor in prevailing on Saturday evening, while Jones has developed into the team's biggest scoring threat from play, building on his displays from 2024.

On the football front, we also discuss the latest U21 action and preview the divisional finals.

REFRESHED

The hurlers had an extended break since the facile win over Wexford and the battling draw with Limerick and are in Thurles on Saturday night. Tipp lost to Limerick in their last game but do look on a mission to atone for a poor championship last year.

Victory in Semple Stadium would be a big step towards the league final for either side. Will Pat Ryan and his selectors experiment or chase a win?

UL and DCU denied us an all-Cork Fitzgibbon Cup final, taking out UCC and MTU Cork. UL did have a Cork contingent on their winning team in Jack Leahy, Brian O'Sullivan and Ciarmhac Smyth. Realistically though it was a boost for Limerick hurling, a third triumph in four seasons. The nucleus of the UL side was the best of Limerick's young guns and it shows the Treaty are still the team to beat for the Munster and All-Ireland titles.

You can listen to the Echo Sport Podcast every week wherever you get your podcasts or on www.echolive.ie/podcast