IT’S MUNSTER SENIOR football championship semi-final weekend, with Clare and Tipperary looking to pull off major shocks against holders Kerry and Cork respectively.
Clare’s task is made all the more difficult as they must travel to Killarney to face the Kingdom, as Tipperary host Cork in Thurles.
Here, we examine the main talking points ahead of both clashes….
1. Tipperary upset unlikely
Eoin Cadogan consoles Steven O'Brien following Cork's narrow victory over Tipp two years ago. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Looking through the Tipp team that started on that occasion, nine survivors are available but the Premier County are now arguably much weaker.
Colin O’Riordan was superb that night, Steven O’Brien too, but O’Riordan’s in Australia now and O’Brien decided to link up with the senior hurlers this year.
Tipp’s early-season injury crisis has been well documented and they’ve also lost Jason Lonergan, Liam Casey and Kevin Fahey to the United States for the summer.
Tipp are massive 15-2 outsiders to beat the Rebels at Semple Stadium, with Cork almost unbackable at 12-1 on.
2. Can Cork get the show back on the road?
Cork senior football team manager Peadar Healy. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
There were glimpses of potential last year when Cork ran Kerry to a replay in the Munster SFC final.
But the Rebels then limped tamely out of the qualifiers against Kildare at Semple Stadium, a game that marked Brian Cuthbert’s last in charge.
This year has been difficult too, as Cork suffered relegation from the top flight of the Allianz League.
But latest indications from the camp are that morale and form are good, and some players are set to return from injury to provide manager Peadar Healy with options.
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Cork were forced to play down reports of trouble on their recent training camp but a positive performance at Semple Stadium would set them up nicely for a crack at Clare or Kerry in the provincial decider.
3. Have Kerry recovered from their Dublin mauling?
Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice saw his side well beaten by Dublin in the League decider.
The noises coming from the Kerry camp before their Allianz League Division 1 final clash with Dublin was that they were set to end their losing streak at GAA HQ against the Sky Blues.
The immediate challenge for Kerry is to retain their Munster title and crack on to the All-Ireland quarter-finals with renewed optimism.
There’s still plenty of class in the Kingdom ranks but Dublin’s victory may have exposed some ageing legs.
Looking at the League final starting team, the likes of Marc Ó Sé, O’Mahony, Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan, Darran O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper have plenty of miles on the clock.
The stiffer tests lie in store for Kerry from August but for now, they should safely negotiate their opening championship hurdle.
4. Can Clare cause a shock?
Clare boss Colm Collins has worked wonders with the Banner County. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
We can’t see it happening, despite the Banner County’s encouraging recent progress.
Clare claimed promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz League and then went one step better by claiming silverware against Kildare at Croke Park in the third-tier showpiece.
And while it took them a while to get going against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds, Clare won pulling up in the Munster SFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds.
This is the acid test for Colm Collins and his men, however, and anything other than a comfortable Kerry win would be a surprise.
Hopes were high that Clare would be competitive against Cork in last year’s semi-final but they lost by 12 points.
But Clare can take heart from their semi-final display against Kerry in 2014, when they lost by just four points.
5. Gary Brennan’s Clare influence
Clare skipper Gary Brennan lifts the Division 3 trophy following victory over Kildare at Croke Park.
Brennan is a totemic figure for Clare, their captain and midfield inspiration.
The International Rules star is capable of mixing it with the very best and he’s forged a formidable partnership alongside Cathal O’Connor.
Brennan will come up against some of the finest midfield talent in the game as Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice picks two from Kieran Donaghy, Anthony Maher and David Moran.
Bryan Sheehan can also play at midfield for Kerry, Johnny Buckley too, and so Fitzmaurice is blessed with options.
But Clare have an ace up their sleeve in Brennan, who will fancy his chances of competing in the vital middle-third battle-ground.
6. So the status quo to remain, then?
Kerry won last year's Munster title after a replay with Cork. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
It looks like it will be a fourth successive Cork-Kerry Munster final, barring a major upset or two.
Cork and Kerry weren’t seeded when the draw was made last October but still ended up on opposite sides of the draw.
And they’re set to do battle again in Killarney next month for provincial silverware, with Páirc Uí Chaoimh currently undergoing redevelopment.
Privately, both counties are already looking ahead to that Fitzgerald Stadium collision but there’s still some work to do before that pairing is confirmed.
Still, Cork and Kerry are expected to warm up nicely for the latest instalment of their storied rivalry against underdogs Tipp and Clare respectively.
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Cork's relegation response, Kerry's league recovery, Tipp and Clare seek upset
IT’S MUNSTER SENIOR football championship semi-final weekend, with Clare and Tipperary looking to pull off major shocks against holders Kerry and Cork respectively.
Clare’s task is made all the more difficult as they must travel to Killarney to face the Kingdom, as Tipperary host Cork in Thurles.
Here, we examine the main talking points ahead of both clashes….
1. Tipperary upset unlikely
Two years ago, Tipperary went desperately close to pulling off a famous championship upset against Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Looking through the Tipp team that started on that occasion, nine survivors are available but the Premier County are now arguably much weaker.
Colin O’Riordan was superb that night, Steven O’Brien too, but O’Riordan’s in Australia now and O’Brien decided to link up with the senior hurlers this year.
Tipp’s early-season injury crisis has been well documented and they’ve also lost Jason Lonergan, Liam Casey and Kevin Fahey to the United States for the summer.
Tipp are massive 15-2 outsiders to beat the Rebels at Semple Stadium, with Cork almost unbackable at 12-1 on.
2. Can Cork get the show back on the road?
There were glimpses of potential last year when Cork ran Kerry to a replay in the Munster SFC final.
But the Rebels then limped tamely out of the qualifiers against Kildare at Semple Stadium, a game that marked Brian Cuthbert’s last in charge.
This year has been difficult too, as Cork suffered relegation from the top flight of the Allianz League.
But latest indications from the camp are that morale and form are good, and some players are set to return from injury to provide manager Peadar Healy with options.
Cork were forced to play down reports of trouble on their recent training camp but a positive performance at Semple Stadium would set them up nicely for a crack at Clare or Kerry in the provincial decider.
3. Have Kerry recovered from their Dublin mauling?
The noises coming from the Kerry camp before their Allianz League Division 1 final clash with Dublin was that they were set to end their losing streak at GAA HQ against the Sky Blues.
Instead, Dublin strolled to an 11-point victory as Kerry finished the game with 14 men following Aidan O’Mahony’s dismissal.
The immediate challenge for Kerry is to retain their Munster title and crack on to the All-Ireland quarter-finals with renewed optimism.
There’s still plenty of class in the Kingdom ranks but Dublin’s victory may have exposed some ageing legs.
Looking at the League final starting team, the likes of Marc Ó Sé, O’Mahony, Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan, Darran O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper have plenty of miles on the clock.
The stiffer tests lie in store for Kerry from August but for now, they should safely negotiate their opening championship hurdle.
4. Can Clare cause a shock?
We can’t see it happening, despite the Banner County’s encouraging recent progress.
Clare claimed promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz League and then went one step better by claiming silverware against Kildare at Croke Park in the third-tier showpiece.
And while it took them a while to get going against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds, Clare won pulling up in the Munster SFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds.
This is the acid test for Colm Collins and his men, however, and anything other than a comfortable Kerry win would be a surprise.
Hopes were high that Clare would be competitive against Cork in last year’s semi-final but they lost by 12 points.
But Clare can take heart from their semi-final display against Kerry in 2014, when they lost by just four points.
5. Gary Brennan’s Clare influence
Brennan is a totemic figure for Clare, their captain and midfield inspiration.
The International Rules star is capable of mixing it with the very best and he’s forged a formidable partnership alongside Cathal O’Connor.
Brennan will come up against some of the finest midfield talent in the game as Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice picks two from Kieran Donaghy, Anthony Maher and David Moran.
Bryan Sheehan can also play at midfield for Kerry, Johnny Buckley too, and so Fitzmaurice is blessed with options.
But Clare have an ace up their sleeve in Brennan, who will fancy his chances of competing in the vital middle-third battle-ground.
6. So the status quo to remain, then?
It looks like it will be a fourth successive Cork-Kerry Munster final, barring a major upset or two.
Cork and Kerry weren’t seeded when the draw was made last October but still ended up on opposite sides of the draw.
And they’re set to do battle again in Killarney next month for provincial silverware, with Páirc Uí Chaoimh currently undergoing redevelopment.
Privately, both counties are already looking ahead to that Fitzgerald Stadium collision but there’s still some work to do before that pairing is confirmed.
Still, Cork and Kerry are expected to warm up nicely for the latest instalment of their storied rivalry against underdogs Tipp and Clare respectively.
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