Munster hurling: Cork and Clare risk round robin record
David Fitzgerald of Clare holds off the challenge of Robert Downey of Cork during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 1 match between Clare and Cork at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis, Clare. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
After last week’s hammering by Limerick, Cork have no choice but to regroup and find a way to get over the line against Waterford.
Obviously, it’s well documented at this stage that a draw would be enough for Pat Ryan’s side to progress to the All-Ireland series, but that’s not what anyone in the camp – or county – were hoping for prior to a ball being thrown in. The aim is a Munster final, and the title that will be on the line.
The quality is there within the squad to compete for Munster honours, even if that quality was nowhere to be found against Limerick last weekend.
Such is the nature of the Munster Championship: despite all the optimism surrounding Cork’s performances this year, there’s still a real chance they could be eliminated at the first hurdle.
This brings us to a quirk in the round robin era – and a potential piece of unwanted history.
That could happen this season, even with Cork favourites for tomorrow’s clash against the Déise.
In 2018 – the first year of the round robin series – the decider was contested by Galway and Limerick, the latter winning out by a solitary point in the end.
The following year in 2019 did see Galway eliminated from Leinster in dramatic fashion – with four of the five teams finishing level, each with five points. In the end it came down to scoring difference, with the Tribesmen the unlucky ones to lose out.
Limerick didn’t make the decider that season, beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final by Kilkenny – who went on to lose to Tipp.
In 2020, the straight knockout format returned. Even then, both Tipperary and Kilkenny did make it beyond the provincial stage.
2021 brought with it the knockout format for a second consecutive year and the decider that as Cork fans we all want to forget – Limerick annihilating the Rebels in Croke Park.
In 2022, Cork did reach the All-Ireland series, beating Antrim before a flat quarter-final exit to Galway. Limerick won it all again, this time over Kilkenny.
In 2023, the same two teams met in the decider with the same outcome, though John Kiely’s side were far more dominant at the second time of asking. They cruised to a fourth consecutive title.
Then came last year’s shake-up. Clare ended Limerick’s run and claimed their first title since 2013, beating the same opponents as they had 11 years earlier.
But how quickly fortunes turn.
Despite their triumph, Clare have already made history for the wrong reasons – the first All-Ireland champions in the round robin era to miss out on the series the following year. And if they lose to Limerick, they could add two more unwanted distinctions: becoming the first reigning champions to go winless and the only finalists to finish bottom of the round robin table the next season.
From a Cork perspective, there’s some comfort in the fact that no season has ever seen both previous finalists dumped out this early. But if the Limerick result taught us anything, it’s how quickly things can unravel in this grade.
The Rebels are still alive, but they’ve got to proceed with caution this weekend. SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been kind to Cork when their backs are against the wall, but nothing is certain in Munster.
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