The Echo Sport Podcast: Cork hurlers back on track, for now, but footballers misfire in Meath

Cork are through to their first Munster final since 2018 after bouncing back from the Limerick hammering by beating Waterford on Sunday.

It was a patchy performance overall where they impressed more in the first half against the wind than they did with the gale to their backs. Pat Ryan's side won by six points but had 10 more wides than the Déise, so there can no debate about the result, but it certainly wasn't a vintage display.

In the great scheme of things, it won't really matter, especially with Limerick coming down the tracks again. 

What can we take from the performance at a packed Páirc?

Ger Millerick's finger injury is a concern as he had superbly slotted in for Niall O'Leary. Diarmuid Healy showed well off the bench though, with Darragh Fitzgibbon and Shane Barrett more impressive when restored to their 2024 positions.

FIRING

Cork will need everyone firing for the Treaty but had the luxury of changing half their line-up for the dead rubber group game with Clare.

On the football front, Cork were beaten in a vital All-Ireland group game in Navan. Meath were the better team throughout and only their poor finishing kept John Cleary's side in contention.

Do the Rebels now have any chance when they host Kerry on Saturday? 

They might have left the win behind them in the Munster semi-final but that only means Jack O'Connor will have his side fully focused.

Brian Hurley missed the Meath loss through injury but clearly there are deeper issues. With three teams making it out of the round-robin phase, Cork are still in the mix but the omens aren't positive right now.

Plus there's a look at the minor footballers' loss in the provincial final in Tralee. Keith Ricken's young guns still have an All-Ireland quarter-final on the horizon but will be underdogs.

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.

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