CORK footballers could have a chance to exact swift revenge on Kerry following their recent Munster SFC semi-final loss as the counties are expected to clash again in the group stage of the All-Ireland senior football championship.
Following the draw for the Sam Maguire Cup on Wednesday afternoon, Cork boss John Cleary learned that his Rebels have been drawn in Group 2 alongside the winners of the Munster final (Clare or Kerry), the runner-up in Leinster (Louth or Meath) and Roscommon.
Kerry host Clare in Sunday’s provincial football final, and if the Kingdom emerge victorious, as expected, then Jack O’Connor’s men will return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the second game in the round-robin series at the start of June when the fourth seeds (Cork) host the top seeds. That would be a tantalising prospect given the recent Munster semi-final that saw Cork almost shock the Kingdom in an extra-time cracker before Kerry emerged winners by 3-21 to 1-15.
Cork’s first game in the group stage will be away to the Leinster runner-up so all eyes will be on the clash of Meath, who dethroned Dublin, and a Louth team that Cork fans are all too familiar with in recent seasons. The Rebels beat both Meath and Louth in the Division 2 league campaign this year.
Also, Cork will meet Roscommon in the final round of group games at a neutral venue, and this will be a chance to atone for Cork’s worst performance of the season – the Rebels suffered a heavy home loss, 2-21 to 0-13, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in March in the league.
The Sam Maguire groups are as follows: Group 1: Ulster winners (Armagh/Donegal), Connacht runner-up (Galway/Mayo), Tyrone, Cavan; Group 2: Munster winners (Clare/Kerry), Leinster runner-up (Louth/Meath), Roscommon, Cork; Group 3: Leinster winners (Louth/Meath), Munster runner-up (Clare/Kerry), Monaghan, Down; Group 4: Connacht winners (Galway/Mayo), Ulster runner-up (Armagh/Donegal), Dublin, Derry.
