John Cleary and Cork fully focused on Limerick clash

Cork manager John Cleary says his side have moved on from their Allianz Division 2 Football League final defeat to Meath, with full attention now on Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (2pm).

The Rebels enter the championship in good shape after securing promotion from Division 2, though the league decider did leave plenty to reflect on. Cork were undone by a second-half spell in Croke Park as Meath took control to win by two points. 

It was a day where the kick-outs were a concern for the Rebels.

Cleary said the issue is increasingly common in the modern game and something Cork must be better equipped to handle as the season progresses.

“The learnings from the Meath game are that games go in ebbs and flows,” he said.

“The obvious one is that in the second half maybe six or seven kick-outs went against us, and that’s a feature of games all over the place now. It’s not alone on us that it’s happening.

“You try to have a plan, but a lot depends on the opposition when they push up and when they get momentum — how do you break that? That’s something we have been working on. Hopefully that will be better going forward.

“Meath had a very big vocal support that day in Croke Park. Before going into these matches you probably have to have your homework done with regard to kick-outs and all the other tactical stuff, because if players are waiting for the line to change things, fundamentally that’s not going to happen.” 

One of the major talking points from the league final was the late cynical foul on Maurice Shanley by Meath’s James Conlon. He received a black card, but Cork were not awarded a 50-metre advancement — something Cleary still cannot understand nearly a fortnight on.

“I was trying to make inquiries the following day because it could come up again,” he says.

“I’m still of the opinion that when Maurice Shanley was fouled, the whistle went, he went up, and he was pulled back. The Meath player got a black card but there was no advancement. I’m still a bit puzzled by it.

“If there’s no 50-metre advancement there, you essentially have no chance of clawing back a deficit. All they’ll do is foul, foul, foul. That’s what we’d be instructing our team to do.” 

Cleary also expressed a preference for the previous hooter rule, which allowed play to continue until the attacking move had naturally concluded rather than the hooter going right on the 70th minute.

“I still thought the old rule was better — finish out the game. I think there were fierce exciting finishes. People talked about Kerry last year, but I thought it was the most intriguing bit of play in the whole year. Everyone knew what was happening, and yet it was a fantastic end to a half."

Cork now want to build on the momentum they’ve generated heading into the championship. They certainly aren’t taking Limerick for granted this weekend, despite comfortable wins over them at this stage in Munster in both 2024 and 2025.

The Rebels are bound for Division 1 in 2027, while Limerick are heading for Division 4.

“Our total focus is on Limerick and nothing else,” Cleary said.

“The last two years they have been very, very good at times against us. Two years ago we were a point down at half-time.

“Last year they lost a man before half-time and it was only in the last 10–15 minutes that we got on top. They raise their game against Cork all the time and they always feel they have a chance of beating Cork.

“In fairness to them, they have lost a few players through injury, but looking at their league results they were a bit unlucky. They beat Wexford, beat Fermanagh, drew with Laois, and in a couple of games they were very unlucky. 

"On their day they’re a good team — a very good team. If we’re not on the ball, we know we’re in for a hell of a battle on Sunday.”