One change as Cork minors gear up for 'Munster semi-final'

There is one change on the Cork team for Friday’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC clash with Limerick at Páirc Uí Rinn (7pm).

Tadhg Murphy, who was restricted to a substitute appearance in last week’s win over Clare due to injury, is fully fit again and is restored to midfield as Seán Riordan drops to the substitutes’ bench.

While the competition does not have semi-finals per se – after the round-robin, the top two advance to the final – Tipperary are already guaranteed a spot in the decider and Cork, having beaten Waterford and Clare as well as losing to Tipp, will be assured of joining them if they win or draw against the Shannonsiders.

That is the easiest of the permutations on a night when Tipperary host Waterford in the other game. In addition to first and second going to the Munster final – with the victors there taking an All-Ireland semi-final spot while the beaten side go to the quarter-finals – the sides in third and fourth in Munster progress to the preliminary quarter-finals along with the equivalent sides from Leinster.

With four points claimed, Cork are assured of that at worst. If they were to lose to Limerick, who have two, they could still feasibly end up in the final if Waterford (also on two) were to beat Tipperary.

Scoring difference would be employed in such a scenario and Cork currently have the best record but if Tipp did get the better of the Déise then a Limerick-Cork tie on four points would see the Treatymen finish in second by virtue of having the head-to-head advantage.

For Cork manager Donal Mulcahy, it’s about facing the task at hand and producing a performance that would ideally bring the right result.

“Absolutely,” he says, “I think that a Munster semi-final is a fair way of looking at it.

“Both groups, they know what’s at stake and it’s a huge opportunity for both sets of players and that’s what the championship is all about.

“For ourselves, with young fellas, our job is not to overload them and to get them as connected as possible.

“That’s what we’re trying to do, based on that.”
For last week’s impressive win over Clare, captain Eoin Considine and Callum Coffey made a difference for Cork as they returned from injury and there are no new issues to contend with.

“Howard O’Donovan is still out and Alfie Hennessy broke his thumb in the first round,” Mulcahy said.

“Besides those two, we’ll be picking from a full deck.”

That ten-point win came following a fortnight’s break after losing to Tipperary and Mulcahy felt that the team demonstrated that lessons had been learned.

“It was a great response against Clare,” he said.

“For ourselves, it showed the honesty of the group more than anything else. We challenged ourselves after the Tipp game to be better than how we applied ourselves and I think the lads, they really embraced that.

“It wasn’t perfect but there was a good work ethic and a real willingness to run for each other.

“More importantly, there was a bit more freedom as well – that comes with getting a run of games and that’s a big positive from our point of view.”

To that end, Mulcahy praises the impact of his backroom team, which features Limerick native Paul Keane, Carrigtwohill’s Jason Barrett, Peter Kelly of Erin’s Own and John Kingston (Tracton).

In addition, camogie star Laura Treacy acts in a performance-coaching capacity while Niall Collins deals with match analysis.

“What you’re looking to do is create as strong an environment as you possibly can so that the lads will develop,” Mulcahy said.

“You’ve Paul and Jason, who are very experienced – those two are excellent coaches in any capacity.

“The lads have learned a lot; I suppose you create the environment where they can ask loads of questions and what you’re doing is trying to develop them as much as you can.

“That’s the aim of it.”

CORK (Munster MHC v Limerick): Marley Walsh (Youghal); Jack Batterberry (Castletownroche), Finn Cahill (Midleton), Nathan Coffey (Na Piarsaigh); Eoin Considine (Sarsfields, captain), Dave Nolan (Erin’s Own), Cathal Barry (Bride Rovers); Tadhg Murphy (Cloughduv), Stephen McHugh (Newtownshandrum); Tadhg McCarthy (Watergrasshill), Bobby Power (Ballincollig), Liam O’Regan (St Finbarr’s); Callum Coffey (Na Piarsaigh), Cormac Murphy (Ballinora), Sam Ring (Carrigtwohill).

Subs: Will Stokes (Midleton), Philip Heavey (Passage), Ger Kingston (Mallow), Seán Riordan (Kilworth), Tom Huggins (Sarsfields), Sam McCarthy (Castlelyons), Conor Ronayne (Dungourney), Ryan Cagney (Mallow), Darragh Barry (Douglas).

Additional panel members: Alfie Hennessy (Midleton), Ciarán Kelly (Midleton), Cillian Honohan (Donoughmore), Conor Stack (Blackrock), CJ Barrett (St Finbarr’s), Cuan McMahon (Sarsfields), Dan Collins (Newtownshandrum), Howard O’Donovan (Kilbree), Hugo Raftery (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels), James O’Sullivan (Inniscarra), John O’Sullivan (Midleton).