Kit change possible for future Cork-Limerick clashes

While Sunday’s Munster SHC final between Cork and Limerick will be a traditional red, white and green affair, the counties’ kit matchups may be subject to a stricter assessment in the future.

Around one in 12 men and one in 200 women are affected by deuteranomaly or red-green colour-blindness, which makes the Cork and Limerick kits look indistinguishable.

 Former Cork player and manager John Meyler has the condition and during his time in charge he said that “if you put a Cork and a Limerick jersey together, it can be difficult from the far side of the pitch.”

Limerick have also had to deal with the challenge.

“One of our players has that particular condition and for our in-house games and training sessions, the colouring of the bibs became an issue,” Limerick manager John Kiely told RTÉ.

“We had to choose two distinctly different colours so as to help him distinguish from the opposition, not to be passing the ball to them.

“It's obviously an important consideration from a player's perspective. When you're scanning up the pitch to see who you are going to pass the ball to, you only have a split second, your vision needs to be on point, so helping with regards to the bibs was an easy decision really.”

That has not yet extended to championship matches, though a change in approach could be afoot as the Munster Council assess the issue.

“We are committed to having this new policy fully in place for the start of the 2027 Munster inter-county season next January," said a Munster Council spokesperson.

Changes for Cork-Limerick games are not totally unknown – in the 2022 All-Ireland SFC and the Allianz Football League in 2023, while back in the 1970s there were occasions where black shorts were used to aid those watching on black-and-white television.

Colour-blindness guidance will play a part in the kit selections for games at the Fifa World Cup, which commences next week, while World Rugby have had a policy in place since their 2023 World Cup.

Ireland wore white against Tonga at that tournament while the Six Nations Championship followed since from the beginning of the 2025 season, with games between Ireland and Wales now considered colour-clashes and the away team wearing an alternative strip.