Munster final to bridge 55-year gap
Cork's Brian Hayes in action during April's Allianz HL Division 1A final against Limerick at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Inpho/Tom O’Hanlon
Sunday’s Munster SHC final between Cork and Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will bridge a gap of 55 years.
It will be the second time in the current season that the counties will have met with silverware on the line, with the Shannonsiders having won April’s Allianz Hurling League final at TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Not since 1971 has it happened that two teams from the province met in the national hurling decider and then met again later that summer in the Munster final – back then, Limerick came out on top in the springtime showdown against Tipperary before the tables were turned a couple of months later. Tipp then went on to claim the All-Ireland.
Since then, there have been 13 all-Munster league finals – seven of them involving Cork. While one of those matchups ended up having the same pairing as the All-Ireland final in the same campaign – last year, lest we forget Tipp managing to effect a major turnaround – in none of those seasons did the protagonists also oppose each other in the Munster final.
That the repeat pairing has occurred in 2026 is scarcely surprising, given that Cork and Limerick began the year as the favourites for provincial and national success and, right now, the duo look to be clear of the chasing pack.
Cork’s only two defeats across league and championship were the regular league loss away to the Treatymen and then the final; Limerick were beaten when they came to Leeside in the Munster championship and their only other reversal was the league opener against Waterford.
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