TALKING POINTS: Cork eventually get the job done against Limerick, as Kerry loom

THE (LACK OF) REBELS’ YELL: We’d love to share with you the thoughts of the Cork footballers after the win against Limerick, but no Rebels were allowed to chat to the media after the game. There was a similar silence before the Munster SFC quarter-final when media were informed, following the final Division 2 league draw against Armagh on March 23rd, no-one from the camp would be talking ahead of the Limerick tie. Trying to chat to players straight after a league game, still puffing from their exertions, about a match over two weeks away is far from ideal, or fair on them. Matty Taylor and Micheál Ó Cronín did represent the Cork footballers at the 2024 Munster championships launch in Cahir on March 21st – that was 17 days before the Limerick game. This isn’t restricted to Cork GAA, and is replicated right across the inter-county sphere. There’s very little hype around the championships that threw-in last weekend, and muting the GAA’s most prized assets – their players – is a strange choice in a sporting world that’s busier than ever. Fans want to hear from the players, their heroes, but it seems adults aren’t trusted to share their thoughts. Interviews aren’t for everyone, but for those who are willing, let them share their stories. Hopefully we’ll hear from Cork footballers ahead of their trip to Kerry. This brings to mind, too, the recent official launch of the new SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh where there was a photo-shoot with Cork’s four senior inter-county captains, but no media were invited to interview the players. Photos only. An obvious missed opportunity by Cork GAA and SuperValu for more extensive coverage. 

(KIERAN McCARTHY)

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GOALS WIN GAMES: While Cork eventually managed to find the net three times against Limerick, their litany of missed opportunities raises concerns as they gear up to face Kerry. Cork's wastefulness in front of goal against Limerick underlines the critical need for precision and composure, especially when coming up against formidable opponents like Kerry. ‘We're not going to get ten goal chances against Kerry. It's a case of if we get one or two, we've got to take those one or two. That could be the difference’, said Cork boss John Cleary. Shooting practice will be high up on the list of things to work on for the Rebels in training in the upcoming week. 

(SEÁN HOLLAND)    

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FADING FANFARE: The dwindling interest in provincial football championships was starkly evident in SuperValu Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, with only 4,062 spectators attending, and notably sparse crowds witnessed at Cavan versus Monaghan. These low turnouts raise questions about the relevance and appeal of the provincial championships. The underwhelming attendance figures give a prompt reflection on whether it's time for a change in the championship format to rejuvenate fan engagement. If the likes of Dublin and Kerry both walk to provincial titles again this season, serious questions must be asked going forward. 

(SEÁN HOLLAND)    

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THY KINGDOM COME: ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’, ‘Waterfalls’, ‘Kiss from a Rose’ are all notably iconic songs. I’m not much of a music enthusiast but yet I’ve heard of these even though they came before my time. These tunes are relevant here because they were top of the charts in 1995, the last time Cork footballers beat Kerry in the championship in Killarney. Since then it’s been a constant theme of heartbreak, be it Fionn Fitzgerald or Bryan Sheehan snatching parity from the jaws of defeat or even the 22-point demolition job in 2021, Killarney (pictured below) has not been kind to the Rebels in the past three decades. Once again the Rebels will enter as underdogs but can John Cleary guide his side to a famous victory or will they stick to the rivers and the lakes that they’re used to? 

(SEÁN HOLLAND)