John Horgan on hurling: Cork and Limerick proved they are by far the top two in the country

That's it for another year. 

The round-robin format of the Munster championship has concluded and the near inevitable has come to pass, the country's two best teams will contest the final. Yes, we are setting ourselves up for another instalment, another chapter in the rivalry and story of Cork and Limerick hurling.

There was an absence last Sunday of most things associated with the championship that is regarded as the most competitive and intense across the GAA landscape. In seasons past it came down to the final round in the province to be certain of who would emerge into the All-Ireland series.

Of course, that had been decided already this time, Cork, Limerick and Clare were home and hosed in extending their summer.

The only question to be answered in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and in the Gaelic Grounds was who would contest the final on the first Sunday in June.

Well, there was no drama at all, Cork and Limerick strolled into the decider, Cork trouncing Clare to the tune of 16 points and Limerick going a point better by hammering Tipperay by 17 points.

For the most part, both were non-contests, decided long before the 70 minutes had elapsed and particularly in the second-half the proceedings at times resembled a practise game.

You can only play what's in front of you and in both instances, Cork and Limerick were business-like in the demolition of their rivals. The Cork and Clare encounter, it could be said, had run its course by half-time when Cork went to the dressing rooms nine points to the good.

Yes, in the past, a similar advantage has been wiped out but there was little hope of it this time.

The conspiracy theorists reckoned after that Clare were quite satisfied to have got into the top three in the province and had no great interest in reaching the Munster final when they knew that Limerick would almost certainly have been waiting for them.

BATTERED

Yes, we have had some terrific Munster finals in the past between the two counties but the Banner had achieved their initial objective of lengthening their hurling summer. This is the second battering that Clare have received in the round-robin format, already losing very heavily to Limerick but their season is still alive.

It was a strange sight in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork supporters streaming out of the ground 10 or so minutes before the final whistle.

Their team had done the job again with no shortage of efficiency and since the introduction of the format, became the second county after Tipperary to win all four games. That is a fine achievement in itself and those who might have thought that they would ease up on Sunday with their final place vitually guaranteed were wide of the mark.

Ben O'Connor might have preferred a clean sheet, denying the opposition a goal but that hardly mattered in the final analysis.

Clare might have got an early goal or two but Patrick Collins denied Ian Galvin with one sublime save, maintaing his level of excellence throughout the campaign.

When the last whistle sounded, Clare had scored just 1-7 from open play and a number of players who had starred against Tipperary in their previous assignment were mostly anonymous this time. Cork defended resolutely all through and had the luxury of replacing a couple of defenders just to give some game time to others.

Eoin Downey came up with another point from the right half-back berth and we have almost come to expect that from the Glen man now.

From the outset, Shane Barrett was on top of his game and his contribution of five points from play illustrated the influence he had on the proceedings. William Buckley continues to grow more and more into a Cork jersey and a haul of four points marked another very good day at the office.

Alan Connolly lead scored again with 11 points and nailed some fine frees while Brian Hayes' goal could be described as a game-defining score.

Before a ball was struck in anger in the season, Ben O'Connor declared that he wanted a winning return from every game and the players at his disposal have ensured that thus far in the championship arena.

This is a Cork squad that can never take their foot off the accelerator such is the fierceness for places in the first 15.

In attack, there is massive competition and when a substitute is introduced he must seize the opportunity. Shane Kingston certainly did that on Sunday, rifling over some fine points, the first almost immediately after getting the nod from the management.

Kingston has served this Cork set-up under different managers very well and he certainly made his presence felt on this occasion.

There was no Darragh Fitzgibbon this time. Seamie Harnedy and Deccie Dalton never got on the pitch, illustrating the depth of resources available to the management.

Ben O'Connor puts a huge emphasis on what goes on behind closed doors in training and his team selection can be very much based on that. And wasn't that the way it used to be in Kilkenny in the Cody Golden Years.

In this championship, there are three peaks to be scaled, being in the first three in the province, getting into the final and going right to the top in the All-Ireland series.

This Cork squad of players have safely negotiated the first leg of that arduous journey that ends when the flag is placed on the last day.

No journey is ever going to be perfect but it would be right to state that they have come through very well over the past four games.

Before the commencement of the championship many were suggesting that Cork and Limerick would square up to each other three times this season, twice in the province, the round-robin series and the Munster final. The third meeting would be in the All-Ireland final.

PRIORITY

We'll hold off on that one for the moment, that's some distance down the tracks and all that matters for now is their next get together when Limerick will arrive on Leeside seeking to halt Cork's winning championship sequence, last season's Munster final and in their recent round-robin collision.

There are never any guarantees going forward but what we have now is the two best teams by a good distance in the country going at it hell for leather in the Munster final. And despite Tipperary being the All-Ireland champions, if truth be told, that is what we expected.

Not alone are Cork and Limerick the strongest teams, their squads are, by far, the strongest around too.

There was a distinct lack of bite last Sunday in both their games, be certain sure that won't be the case when the ball is throw in to decide who takes the direct route to the All-Ireland semi-final.