Jamesie O'Connor column: Starved of success, Cork hurling is on the rise after epic win over Kilkenny
Jamesie O'Connor reviews the All-Ireland semi-finals, describing how Cork out-lasted Kilkenny in an epic contest; the Sky Sports pundit also examines how Limerick saw off Waterford, noting that the Treaty were primed for the physical contest
Tuesday 10 August 2021 20:48, UK
Croke Park was a great place to be on Sunday.
There were 24,000 people there. But it felt like 75,000 at times, with 65,000 of them from Cork.
This is a proud hurling county starved of success, and there is a ravenous appetite for big days out in Croke Park. And there could be plenty more of them coming down the line, judging by their results at minor and U20.
Their supporters certainly made their presence felt. Every score was roared on. And you knew from the crowd behind the goal in the Canal End whether a shot was going over the bar, before the umpires went for their flags.
It was a contest that had everything, and there could have been 10 goals scored.
Had James Bergin or Walter Walsh taken their chances in the first half of extra-time, perhaps Kilkenny would have been the ones to kick on.
But on balance, the best team won.
I just don't think the Cats would have had enough to trouble Limerick in the final, whereas Cork will bring a different challenge with the pace they have.
It sets it up very nicely.
Obviously they will need to make improvements to bridge the eight-point gap that was between the sides in the Munster semi-final. But the experience of digging deep on Sunday, and being forced to go to the well is worth its weight in gold.
This Rebels outfit is now more battle-hardened. They know a lot more about themselves than they did six weeks ago. And most importantly, they now have real depth.
Intercounty hurling is not a 15-man game anymore. You need 20, at the very least.
The way the game is played, the movement off the ball, the running that is required, the distances these guys are covering, the physicality, the strength and conditioning. What is being asked of some players, it's very hard to sustain for 70 minutes. So you need your bench.
And boy did the Cork substitutes deliver.
Shane Kingston produced a man-of-the-match display with seven points. Alan Cadogan caused Tommy Walsh real issues and bagged 0-3. Damian Cahalane and Eoin Cadogan starred at the back. Sean O'Leary Hayes didn't put a foot wrong.
It was a brave call to leave Jack O'Connor on the field. He was anonymous in the first half, but stormed into the contest with 1-3.
Diarmuid O'Sullivan referenced the Cork depth after the match. There will be a battle at training for places - even the 11 guys who were not in the matchday squad on Sunday, they are going to fight to get into the 26. That's what you want as a management team.
Limerick flex their muscle
I think this Limerick team is reminiscent of Kilkenny in their pomp during the 2000s.
Trying to outmuscle them and win the physical contest is pointless. They're just so powerful and so strong, so battle-hardened. These guys are forged through training matches. They know nothing other than hardship.
Teams tried it with that Kilkenny team in the past, but it never seemed to work.
Waterford felt they had to match Limerick physically, and put it up to them for the opening quarter. But that took a lot more out of the Déise than out of the Treaty.
From there, Limerick figured things out and started to find their rhythm.
Liam Cahill's side couldn't afford to be as inefficient as they were. Stephen Bennett didn't have a good day on placed balls. That sucks the energy out of a team when you're chasing a game, because Limerick are so solid defensively and hard to break down.
They kept the Déise out of reach for the rest of the contest.
They're just so efficient, so well-drilled, so well-honed that Cork are really going to have to find improvements and put a lot of thought into how they're actually going to go about beating them in two weeks' time.
I felt that playing on four consecutive weekends took its toll on Waterford.
Everyone knew the system from the outset of the summer. But it was always going to be a big ask, expecting teams to go four weekends on the trot, up against provincial champions that were rested and fresh.
The club season needs its window, so I am not saying the championship should have been extended. But perhaps the qualifiers should have started earlier. They could have found an extra week earlier in the summer.
Nobody has any problem going consecutive weekends, but when it gets to three and four, I think that's the issue. It would have only taken a small tweak.
Regardless, the round-robin system is likely to be back next year. But the current format has given us some great games. And it's all set up for a fascinating final.
