Tom Kenny: Hard to dispute better team won but Cork will be disappointed with second half

Records are there to be broken and unfortunately for Cork there was one broken at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

The Rebels lost a senior Munster hurling final for the first time there and, overall you can’t argue with the result. This was a day that Cork were not at their best and yet it looked for long spells like they didn’t have to be.

There was never going to be much in this and don’t rule out these two meeting again further on in the season. There are few that can match either one in hurling, and physical skills as they once again served up another thrilling encounter.

When Cork got their second goal early in the second half, it looked like it was going to be their day, but Limerick had other ideas. They finished the game strongly and overall, it’s hard to dispute the fact they were the better team.

Former Cork star Tom Kenny felt they were just about deserving winners on the day.

“I think Limerick deserved to win, but at the same time I don’t think they did anything special to win it,” said Kenny.

“Cork will be disappointed with their game management in the second half. 

I also don’t think the ref was the deciding factor in the outcome either. We got six frees in the second-half so we had our fair share of them.

“Darragh Fitzgibbon was a huge loss for Cork and missing someone like him is always difficult. You look at Limerick and take Cian Lynch out of their side and the difference it makes to them.

PRIORITY

“I know the Cork lads will be disappointed to lose the Munster final and that’s only natural. But there is only once place to beat Limerick and that’s later in the year at Croke Park.

“If they do that in the All-Ireland final then I am sure that today will be forgotten about.

“You take the learnings from days like today and now they have to get the heads right and prepare for an All-Ireland quarter-final in a few weeks.

“That will be key now for Cork, to move on and get ready for the next day and I am sure they will do that and be ready for their next challenge.”

No doubt the ref will be a talking point and some of his calls will be questioned but look at the scoring stats and of the 2-17 Cork scored only 1-6 was from play.

So, it’s hard to say Cork didn’t get their fair share from placed balls.

On the flip side Limerick scored 11 points from placed balls.

On that basis it’s hard to lay any of the blame on the referee, bar the last play when quite what went on is questionable.

When Cork were awarded a late free and Patrick Collins came up to take it, you would think the ball would, at the very least, be played in around the square where anything could have happened.

But they went for a short ball to Coleman and then played to O’Mahony and by the time he struck the shot the full-time whistle was blown.

By then, we were two minutes over the five indicated at the end of the 70 so one can only wonder why the ball was directly played into the danger zone. No doubt they had asked the ref was there time to do that, so how it ended was questionable.

When Cork look back, they will know it was far from their best display of the season with the Limerick defence keeping the Cork forwards relatively quiet.

FOUNDATION

None of the starting six dominated their marker and credit there must go to a tenacious Limerick defence. They were simply superb and laid the foundation for their win.

To be fair to Cork defensively they can’t be faulted either, with Niall O’Leary, Damien Cahalane and Sean O’Donoghue doing the same at the other end. Cahalane, who often gets over the top criticism, was one of Cork’s best players on the day.

It’s always disappointing to lose a final, especially on your own patch, but now concentration must turn to the All-Ireland quarter-final with Offaly in a few weeks.

And knowing this side you can bet they will be ready for that challenge and don’t rule out a rematch of these two down the road, with hopefully a different outcome.