Tony Considine on hurling: This was the worst Cork performance I've seen
Cork's Damien Cahalane tackles Limerick's Seamus Flanagan at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
I have been watching Cork teams for a long time over the years in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick but I have to say that this is the worst Cork performance I have ever seen.
The one thing you have to have playing a Munster championship game is the correct attitude. From the throw-in, Cork didn't have that.
Yards off their men all over the pitch, not up to the physical demands of the game, Limerick completely steamrolled them.
William O'Donoghue and especially Adam English completely on top in the middle of the field, running the show as they liked. Cian Lynch directing operations up front, Tom Morrissey getting the freedom of Limerick and Aaron Gillane on fire inside.
Now all these are good players, actually top-class hurlers, but when you give them the room they are superstars. Punishing at every opportunity. You would have to say this game was over after 20 minutes.
What excuse can Cork have here? They can't have any really.
It is not that they weren't forewarned. They knew John Kiely would have his team ready to give them a big welcome. And he actually told them that after the Waterford game, urging Limerick supporters to fill the ground and make plenty of noise. Cork should have been forearmed for all that.
They were in an All-Ireland last year and won a league final this year. Surely it should not have been a big problem for them to get motivated for their fiercest of rivals?
They should have known that Limerick were waiting since last summer for this. They had a lot of hurt and anger built up over what happened to them last year.
Something has gone wrong with Cork since the last time they played a game three weeks ago. Usually a team would be very fresh after that break but it was the complete opposite for Cork and a big letdown to all their supporters, as they did turn up in large numbers.
The big question now for Cork is how do they get momentum going again.
Players will have to have a long look at themselves here, because apart from two or three players, the rest of this Cork team were not at the races.
I'd say management will have to take a look at themselves as well.
First and foremost their captain and centre-back Robert Downey did not look fit, I know he is an important player but he should not be there if not right.
Another strange move was Seamus Harnedy. He played well when he came on and looked fit enough to me, why was he not started?
He seemed to be in good form in his last game against Tipperary. Two midfielders Etan Twomey and Tim O'Mahony were completely at sea.
I know Twomey was taken off, maybe a move of O'Mahony to the defence which was under fierce pressure would have relieved some of that as Cork were at sixes and sevens in their defence giving acres of space to the Limerick attack.
Maybe a move of big Brian Hayes to centre-forward might have helped to put pressure on Limerick's star man Kyle Hayes who was cleaning up. Barry Nash and Diarmaid Byrnes were able lieutenants, Cork getting no joy whatsoever in that department.
No penetration whatsoever. Limerick half-backs completely dominant and their full-back line of Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey and Mike Casey smothering Patrick Horgan, Alan Connelly and Brian Hayes. Casey even got a point from play.
I think Cork should have moved their attackers around a bit to at least try and create something.
Cork are still in this championship, but this is a huge job for Pat Ryan now. He will have to bring all his experience to the fore here to lift them for one more go against Waterford next Sunday.
He has one big advantage, he has a huge stick to beat them with and from what I have seen he needs to start to do that big time and get them out of the comfort zone.
What is the saying? You are only as good, or as bad, as your next game.
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