The Echo Sport Podcast: Hurlers have big calls for Galway, footballers wasted golden chance but minors ready for Tyrone decider

The Echo Sport Podcast crew has a bumper show this week as the inter-county season builds to a gripping conclusion.

Now in its fourth season, every Monday, Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field. You can listen on Echolive.ie/podcast or where you get your podcasts.

The Cork footballers' campaign ended on a low note. Not just that they were beaten by Mayo in a game they were slight underdogs in but it represented a superb chance to make the All-Ireland semis for the first time in 14 years, but because they had the chances to deliver.

They hit 14 wides to Mayo's seven, went in level at half-time having had a spell of real dominance in the first half, and coughed up three points because of technical frees. They were stronger on kick-outs, grabbing 14 of Mayo's 30 but just couldn't turn quality possession into a match-winning tally.

A haul of just 0-18 won't win a match at the business end of championship, under the new rules and there was a sense Cork fell back into some of their old habits. They certainly didn't kick enough into the inside line and there wasn't enough dynamic movement from Steven Sherlock and co up top.

Cork worked the ball around the arc looking to land two-pointers, their trademark in beating Meath and Donegal, far too often. Mayo had their homework done, tackled ferociously, but John Cleary and his players will know they should have been more urgent in their attacking approach. 

It means Cork haven't won a championship game on Jones Road since 2013 and have lost in three of the last five All-Ireland quarter-finals. Without disrespecting Louth, who would have had no fear of Cork, it was an incredible opportunity to make the final.

The football season still has one more game to go, with Cork meeting Tyrone in Newbridge. The Red Hand are an underage powerhouse but Keith Ricken's young Rebels have every chance in the county's first minor All-Ireland final in seven years. 

Both U17 teams are unbeaten across the campaign and it should be a terrific match that goes all the way to the wire.

The Cork hurlers are back in Croker next Saturday in what will be a sell-out All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Leinster champions Galway. Naturally, chasing a third successive appearance in the decider, the Rebels are favourites but on no level will Ben O'Connor's management be taking this game lightly.

In the modern era, Cork's record against the Tribe is very poor, going out at their hands in 2009, 2011, '12, '15 and '22, since the last win over them in 2008 when O'Connor and selector Ronan Curran were playing.

Cork have some selection headaches, depending on the fitness of Tim O'Mahony and Tommy O'Connell, particularly after Alan Walsh's two-goal first start in the Offaly win.