How much does a league title mean to Limerick and Cork if they don't add an All-Ireland?

Long before the teams were inked into place for this weekend’s Division 1A Hurling League final, talk was centred around these two teams, and how this was the inevitable pairing.

Cork and Limerick, it could only be those two.

Many did predict this final pairing. Perhaps it’s not a difficult prediction to make, though, given Cork and Limerick represent two of the top three favourites for the All-Ireland title. Few would have been pipping anyone else other than Tipperary for a shot at the early-season silverware.

But, as Galway failed to take something from the final round against Limerick, we’re left with the red and green once more – and it’s meeting number two for a tetralogy (series of four), or pentalogy (series of five) if you’re feeling brave.

Really, though, this one is clearly going to develop into a hexalogy (series of six, if you haven’t already figured it out), because we cannot forget the Munster Senior League drubbing that Cork suffered in March.

That means that, heading into Sunday, Limerick boast a 2-0 series lead as Cork head to the Gaelic Grounds for the third time this year, and it’s only April.

But park the fan chatter and February All-Ireland calls. The inflation of this competition’s stature and significance has been going on for a while now.

There is only so much one can read into fixtures at this early stage of the season. No doubt this Sunday’s clash will carry more weight than the previous two. That’s an inevitability, given Cork were not near full-strength for either of the other meetings. 

Even then, both teams won’t – or will at the very least hope not to be – at their peak at the beginning of April for a league final, especially when neither team need this one. Both Cork and Limerick have their eyes on a much grander, and more lucrative prize. One that Cork so desperately need, and one that Limerick will feel they have unfinished business with.

If this somehow becomes the third of six meetings, how much is this one even going to matter by June?

PRIORITIES

Sure, it’s a chance for Cork to retain the title, a chance for Limerick to reclaim it. But for both, the focus is and will always be on getting things right for championship.

Not since the 1979/80 and 1980/81 seasons have Cork claimed back-to-back league titles. Cork’s failure to grab the win in last year’s All-Ireland final ended the chance of three straight league and championship doubles, the potential of one each for Clare, Limerick and Cork.

Beyond Clare’s 2024 and Limerick’s 2023 and 2020 wins, though, recent doubles have almost strictly come from Leinster championship teams. Brian Cody’s Kilkenny managed it – six were achieved during his reign – 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2014, while Galway achieved it in 2017.

Cork haven’t managed to complete a double since 1953, but is that really something they’ll be concerned about?

After all, late summer honours are the only currency that matter in the Rebel County right now, and that will continue to be the case until the dreaded Liam MacCarthy drought comes to an end.