Rebels underline how quickly a reputation can be restored

Inside Track with John McIntyre

SOMETIMES, all it takes is one game to dramatically shift public opinion on a team’s standing – and it can cut both ways. After their poor effort against Tipperary on home soil in the Munster hurling championship the previous Sunday, Cork were surprisingly being written off ahead of their critical weekend clash against Limerick.

With their summer on the line, together with the county’s tradition and, perhaps, most importantly of all being unlucky to fall to the Shannonsiders in last year’s epic All-Ireland semi-final, the Rebels were bound to be in a revolution mood for their visit to the Gaelic Grounds. With changes in personnel – notably the inclusion of the fit-again Bill Cooper and Aidan Walsh – and fire in the bellies, Cork were men on a mission.

In contrast, Limerick were sitting ducks. With all the understandable hype about the All-Ireland champions after powering their way to National League glory this spring, John Kiely’s squad clearly weren’t ready – mentally or physically – for the intensity and craft Cork brought to the Gaelic Grounds. Having been competitively idle for up to seven weeks didn’t help their cause either.

Limerick were the county with the perceived deepest panel of all and given the mature way everybody in the camp handled the aftermath of their long-awaited All-Ireland triumph in 2018, the assumption was that Declan Hannon and company were again the team to beat this year. Physically, they were the envy of their peers and given the quality of their league displays, things couldn’t have been going better until they hit really choppy waters last Sunday.

Suddenly, Limerick are mere mortals and, more worryingly, on the evidence of their flat effort against Cork, could now have their work cut out to even come out of Munster. They lacked match sharpness and you also have to wonder whether their conditioning coaches got their timing right? Most of the Limerick players appeared too bulked up and heavy on their feet, almost as if they had spent too much time in the gym. They were sluggish and ponderous, with only Graeme Mulcahy showing the expected levels of energy and lively movement.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.