McGrath Cup: Cork look to book their place in final with win over Limerick

The Cork footballers will look to book their spot in the McGrath Cup final this weekend when they face Limerick.

Páirc Uí Rinn is the venue on Sunday with throw-in at 2pm. The Rebels come into the encounter on the back of hammering Tipperary last Tuesday night in Cappawhite.

Cork won on a scoreline of 1-26 to 0-10 in what was a mismatch in truth. Not a surprise though given the Leesiders had their strongest possible team available out whereas Tipperary were experimenting.

Cork manager John Cleary did have no choice though with regards team selection given injuries and up to 13 players involved with their college teams in the Sigerson Cup. 

Cleary’s charges play Armagh tomorrow in a challenge and with the college players available for Sunday, they are set to be given their chance in a competitive setting.

Were the Rebels to win or draw, they would advance to the McGrath Cup decider, which is down for tomorrow week, eight days before the start of the Allianz Division 2 Football League for Cork.

Cavan visit SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, January 25.

“We have our plan for the Limerick game on Sunday and we’ll see how the Sigerson Cup players are. Our idea is definitely to give them a go because this is the only time of the year to have a look. When the league starts, it’s not easy," Cleary says.

“It’s very hard to put in fellas and it’s not fair on them either to put them into these high-pressure situations without having blooded them prior to that.

“Colm O’Shea and Denis O’Connor came on against Tipperary, even 20 minutes there, it’s invaluable for them to play under a bit of inter-county pressure.

“That’s what we hope to do again on Sunday and see where it goes from there.” 

The pre-season competition wasn’t on Cork's list of priorities a few weeks ago, but they will find themselves in the final with silverware on the line if they avoid defeat to Limerick.

Kerry are in the box seat to come through from the other group.

Cleary is pleased with how things are going at the moment with the real stuff starting in just two weeks’ time.

“We’ve trained hard, like every other team are training hard as well. But the main thing is we haven’t had a lot of injuries compared to the last few years. We haven’t had that yet.

“Hopefully that will continue and that the fellas are putting up their hand like they did there against Tipperary and hopefully that will continue in the future.” Cleary concluded.

Cork’s opponents on Sunday in the shape of Limerick only mustered up four points in an eleven-point loss to Tipperary in their first outing last week.

It was very much an experimental Limerick side, maybe more than usual, as Billy Lee tries to build a deeper panel.

He included two of last year’s Limerick squad in Seán Clancy, the Galtee Gaels midfielder being named as captain for the day and Rory O’Brien. None of his Tailteann Cup final starting side featured.