The key areas where Cork must clean up house before facing Limerick again
A second pop at Limerick signals a chance at redemption. It's an opportunity to remind the wider hurling community that they are still All-Ireland finalists and that their credentials for 2025 have not withered away. A chance to wipe out the damage of that 16-point defeat two weeks ago.
Manager Pat Ryan alluded to it when he spoke to the media after the Waterford game, as he emphasised the importance of 'representing the jersey' and carrying the Cork emblem with distinction.
In order to do that against Limerick, they must tidy up a few areas.
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Address injury concerns
Cork have some important injury concerns to sort through before the ball is thrown in on 7 June.
They were without Rob Downey, Niall O'Leary and Declan Dalton for the Waterford game, and they may also be forced to put defender Ger Millerick on the treatment table too. He suffered a suspected dislocated finger against Waterford which requires a scan.
As well as being an experienced defender, Millerick also created the move which resulted in Patrick Horgan's goal. He delivered a brilliant pass over his shoulder which broke kindly for Hayes to pop the ball out to Horgan for the final swing. Immediately after that, Millerick carried the ball down the wing before laying off to Hayes for a point.
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Cork have a second goal and it's Patrick Horgan who drives it into the net to extend the lead over Waterford
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Dalton had featured in all three of Cork's Munster games, and started against Tipperary (1-6) and Limerick before limping off in the first half. Shane Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Séamus Harnedy combined for eight points against Waterford, but Dalton would be a huge loss to the half-forward line if he is unfit to play.
Pat Ryan was already down a corner-back before Millerick's withdrawal against Waterford, and he will need a strong batch of defenders to marshal Aaron Gillane, Shane O'Brien and David Reidy. That trio combined for 2-9 in their last meeting, with Gillane hitting 2-7. Damien Cahalane replaced Millerick against Waterford and he may be needed again for Cork's second trip to the Gaelic Grounds.
Rob Downey started against Limerick but was taken off at half-time. Ryan has since admitted that they 'probably shouldn't have played Rob' in that game, but were reluctant to omit him from selection as he is their captain. Cormac O'Brien, who replaced Downey in the Limerick game, made his first championship start against Waterford and scored a point before coming off in the final moments.
Improve Accuracy
Cork were clinical enough to get the better of Waterford but were wasteful in front of goal too. They had 17 wides before close of business in Páirc Uí Chaoimh while also dropping three efforts into Billy Nolan's hand. That return in front of goal will not go unpunished against a Limerick side who have a scoring a difference of 17 which is by far the highest in the Munster championship table.
Against Waterford, some of Cork's more reliable shooters were off target at times, including Darragh Fitzgibbon and Séamus Harnedy who both missed chances in the opening 10 minutes as Waterford built up a 0-4 0-1 lead. The wind factor, however, was significant. And even when they were playing against it in the first half, they still held a 0-13 0-12 lead at half-time.
Cork scored two goals but could have had more. Shortly after Hayes tapped the ball in, Shane Barrett launched a shot that fizzed past the Waterford goal from roughly the same position. Some of the other wides that followed their second goal were scores that could have killed off any chance at a late Waterford fightback.
In the first half against Limerick, Horgan missed a crucial goal chance when Cork were trailing 1-10 to 0-5 after another one of those pop passes from Hayes. His effort was batted back into play by Nickie Quaid, and a counter offensive ended with Gearóid Hegarty splitting the posts. What should have been a five-point game ended up being a nine-point gap.
If Cork don't rinse out that inefficiency, Limerick will crush them at the other end.
Win the midfield battle
Red circles will go around the names Cian Lynch, Adam English, Will O'Donoghue and Kyle Hayes, particularly if Cork are intent on bringing their half-back line so far forward again. Their structure left a lot of space open against Limerick, which Tom Morrissey exploited to score five points with ease.
English scored 1-2 in that game and has 2-8 in total from the round-robin, while Lynch has five points so far. The pair linked up for English's first-half goal against Cork and their attacking instincts are assisted by O'Donoghue's ability to sit back and hold the middle.
Adam English with a 2⃣nd Goal for @LimerickCLG in a dominant 1st Half against @OfficialCorkGAA in the @MunsterGAA Hurling Championship 🏆 #LIMVCOR pic.twitter.com/AZmLvQ9Glc — The GAA (@officialgaa) May 18, 2025
Hayes, Lynch and English all played vital roles in creating Limerick's second goal against Cork. It came from a Cork puckout, as Hayes reached in with his stick and flicked the ball forward to Lynch. He cut back into the middle, and flicked the ball beautifully into the path of English who was running through into open space before sniping the ball into the corner.
Lynch's point which came directly after English's goal came from another Hayes intervention, who has been lording the centre-back position throughout the championship.
Protect lead
Against both Clare and Waterford, Cork built up leads which they let slip. The Rebels were 12 points up at half-time against the Banner and needed a late Declan Dalton free to rescue a draw. Shane Barrett's red card in the 57th minute can't be discounted when reviewing that result as well as the first-round adrenaline which helped bring Clare back into the contest. But the concession of three goals in the second half cannot be ignored either.
Cork went eight points clear after Horgan provided their second goal against Waterford, but were pulled back to three.
They eventually won by six but there were other slips that they were fortunate not to pay a high price for. Mark Coleman, who had an otherwise solid day out, almost conceded an own goal while trying to catch a long free in. The sliotar popped out of his hand and only the width of the crossbar spared him at a time when Cork were 2-18 to 0-16 ahead.
Even the goal that Waterford did score was arguably preventable. Goalkeeper Patrick Collins looked disappointed after Stephen Bennett's shot bounced past him into the net. Their seven-point lead was suddenly down to four. Bennett broke through again in the next play only to be denied by the butt of the post. Jamie Barron also had an attempt at goal which he missed.
Should they get in front against Limerick, they will need a tighter defensive shape to stay ahead.
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Reduce Limerick's goal-count
This relates to the point above. Limerick smashed three goals past Cork in the previous meeting and have raised five green flags in all during this round-robin series. But it's the timing of Limerick's goals against Cork that requires examination, with the first one coming in just the second minute.
A Cian Lynch delivery found Aaron Gillane in the corner. His marker Niall O'Leary was too far off in the race for possession and slipped as Gillane cut a path along the inside. Ciarán Joyce tried to race across and cut out the danger, but was side-stepped too easily.
Aaron Gillane produces this majestic goal for Limerick as they make a blistering start
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🖥️ https://t.co/DY08xADH3F #SundayGame pic.twitter.com/G2iY7tmWqc — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 18, 2025
The third goal just after the hour mark was arguably the most cruel blow. Horgan's penalty moments earlier gave Cork a lifeline as they trailed 2-23 to 1-16. But a dangerous ball landed on top of Gillane and Eoin Downey at the edge of the square. Downey was ruled to be fouling and Gillane converted the penalty to quench the Cork rebellion.
There were other nervy moments when the Cork backs looked brittle. Shane O'Brien created a goal chance for Tom Morrissey which was blocked on the line by Coleman while Barry Nash also broke through the full-back line only to be snuffed out before he could strike.

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RTÉ News
16 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
David Clifford the Player of the Year as Kerry dominate Team of the Year selection
And, after so much change to the game of Gaelic football, Kerry are the champions for the second time in four seasons, and a record extending 39th time overall. Since the end of the dominant Dublin period, the men from the Kingdom have won two All-Irelands - that's one more than anybody else. You could tell something was brewing when they ripped last year's All-Ireland champions Armagh to shreds in a dominant 15 minute period at the quarter-final stage, after emerging from the long grass of another Munster title and a surprise defeat to Meath in the All-Ireland group stages. Then, in the semis, they upped the ante after the break to make a break for the decider, but it was their performance today which was arguably the most impressive of the lot. Jack O'Connor had spoken of his desire for, "a good, steady, even performance" but this was so much more than that. They were well on top from the first minute, with Dylan Geaney opening the scoring inside 15 seconds. David Clifford contributed seven points in the first half, including three two-pointers. Donegal threatened to put up a comeback when they cut the gap to four but the Munster men had the answers with the late goal from Joe O'Connor meaning they ended up winning both halves - worthy winners. Kerry top the list with eight players, with beaten finallists Donegal managing four - Meath, Tyrone and Armagh complete the 15, with no player from Connacht making the cut in a year when the province failed to provide an All-Ireland semi-finalist. Shane Ryan (Kerry) An excellent distributor of the ball who has an ability to get the ball away with some haste, which helped Kerry with some big scores over the summer. A superb shot stopper as well, he never conceded a goal across the entire run to the Sam Maguire. Managed 0-04 points during the summer although ended the All-Ireland final with a score, missing a few frees. Seán Rafferty (Meath) Only made his championship debut for Meath against Carlow in April this year but was a solid presence throughout their campaign. Often took the tough marking job on David Clifford, Shane Walsh and Michael Murphy. He was off the field when Meath conceded 2-03 against Galway. Jason Foley (Kerry) A tall, strong full back with bags of pace. Started every championship game on Kerry's run to the Sam Maguire. Kept Michael Murphy to two points from play in this afternoon's final. Brendan McCole (Donegal) The New York born defender was Donegal's main man marker during the year, doing a particularly impressive jobs on Derry's Shane McGuigan and on Jordan Morris in the semi-final victory over Meath. As most mortals do, found David Clifford too hot to handle in the decider but overall, a very impressive year for the 27-year-old. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (Kerry) A brilliant defender but so dangerous going forward with the pace that he has. A standout player in a line that launches so much of Kerry's most important moves. Gavin White (Kerry) His tenth season with the Kingdom, and his third as captain, but this one surely tops the lot as he got to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand on All-Ireland final day after disappointment in 2019 and last year. An inspirational All-Ireland final performance as he scored 0-03 and set up other scores throughout the game as an attacking wing-back. Kieran McGeary (Tyrone) Tyrone's sole representative in the selection, Kieran McGeary showed his ability with an early two-pointer as Tyrone saw off Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Joe O'Connor (Kerry) Not long after Kerry's last All-Ireland in 2022, O'Connor did his ACL playing a club game for Austin Stacks and he was off the field for 15 months. Since his return at the start of 2024, he's started all 15 of Kerry's Championship games and all but two of their league games in that period. It's an incredible record but reflects the form he has managed in midfield. Showed his ability to win the ball and carry it early in today's final and was a consistent thorn in Donegal's side with his incisive runs. Capped it all off with the last score of the day, a goal into the Hill 16 End. Michael Langan (Donegal) The super experienced midfielder made his Donegal debut in 2017. He's a majestic fielder of the ball and covers plenty of ground in the middle third of the field. Nominated for an All-Star last year and continued where he left off with some big performances this year. His goal against Monaghan helped the Tír Chonaill men turned around a seven-point half-time deficit. Seán O'Shea (Kerry) Kicked 12 points against from nine shots against Armagh when the Orchard decided to go after David Clifford. Such a consistent play maker in the Kerry team. Managed a point from play in the final as well as kicking two two-pointers from place balls. Paudie Clifford (Kerry) Injury kept Clifford out of the team until later in the year but he emerged at half-time in the quarter-final dethroning of Armagh, hitting two points. Started the semi final win over Tyrone and hit another two points before managing three this afternoon. An orchestrator of a lot of what Kerry do well. Oisín Conaty (Armagh) The only player included who didn't play for a team that won anything this year. It should tell you something about how impressive the Armagh attacker was as their All-Ireland defence fell short. A very talented soccer player in his younger years, he managed six points from play in the Ulster final loss to Donegal. David Clifford (Kerry) The greatest footballer of his generation and he delivered once again in the biggest game in the sport. Coming into today, the Fossa man had already hit 8-53 in his eight championship games. He added seven points in the first half, including three two-pointers, before another two from play down the home stretch. Clifford is the attacker of his generation (Galway and Dublin fans might have something to say), consistently tormenting opposition defences. When he fires, Kerry tend to win, and that was the case once in 2025. Michael Murphy (Donegal) Came back to win a second Celtic Cross but came up just short. One of just two players who has played in every Donegal v Kerry championship game, stretching back to a quarter-final win back in 2012. A talismanic figure looking to pull off one of the greatest comebacks having made himself available after two seasons out. Got special mention from the Uachtarán Jarlath Burns in his speech before handing over the Sam Maguire, calling him "the best player ever to come from" Donegal. Conor O'Donnell (Donegal) A dangerous attacker who was always worth a few scores for Donegal. He hit 1-03 in the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Meath and on a more difficult afternoon in the final, he was their top scorer from play with four points - two in each half. Gavin White (Kerry) A massive All-Ireland final performance from the very first minute, as he burst through and fed Geaney for the opening score, setting the tone for a golden afternoon for Kerry. He added a score himself shortly afterwards and would have three before the afternoon was out. Repeated his support role early in the second half to set up Seán O'Shea and he was consistent danger throughout with his powerful running. SUNDAY GAME FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR David Clifford (Kerry) What more can be said about the Fossa man? He ends the season with 8-62 from nine games as the greatest player of his generation continues to perform when its most needed. He hit seven in the first half this afternoon including a two-pointer after the buzzer which his manager picked out as a critical score in the game. Earlier in the campaign, he was heavily marked against Armagh but still ended up with seven points, and had his best scoring contribution of the year in the semi-final victory over Tyrone when he managed 1-09.


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jack O'Connor says Kerry's future rests with one person, and no surprises who
Kerry boss Jack O'Connor has joked that his wife will decide his future with the legendary manager hinting that he would step away from the role. O'Connor had previously alluded that 2025 would be his final year, regardless of how it ended, and did not little to quiet speculation when speaking to the media after Kerry's All-Ireland triumph. 'I think I was on record earlier in the year there that it would probably be my last hurrah, do you know. I don't want to be telling ye lads before I tell anyone else. There's a lot more people down the corridor. Look, we'll do that in due course. There's no hurry.' O'Connor was further quizzed on The Sunday Game by Joanne Cantwell and said he'll be leaving his decision to his better half. "That's up to my wife now, she's down there! All I know, Joanne, is I was going out the door with my gearbag Thursday night, and she had the camera out taking photographs, and that's not a great sign." In his third stint as Kerry manager, O'Connor won his fifth All-Ireland title and sits only behind Jim Gavin (6) and Mick O'Dwyer (8) when it comes to All-Ireland titles. "It's great. It's a fantastic night to be celebrating with the supporters and families," he said. "We've been on the other side of it where we've lost finals, it's night and day, it's agony and ecstasy, so thankfully it's ecstasy tonight. "It's great when things come together. Five or six weeks ago, we were on our knees after the defeat in Tullamore, so it's very rewarding when people stick together. It's easy to jump on the bandwagon when things are going well, but when things aren't going well, that's when you find out about people. We found that we had great unity in the camp and the whole group, and that was rewarded today."


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Phenomenal, scary, immense, awesome' David Clifford has RTE pundits drooling
The pundits are quite literally running out of superlatives for Kerry superstar David Clifford after another spellbinding display art Croke Park. The Fossa attacker landed 0-9 from play to tear Donegal's All-Ireland dream apart and he looks certain to land another Footballer of the Year award. With a brilliant supporting cast in the All-Ireland final, led by his brother Paudie, David Clifford ran amok and stunned Donegal with three two pointers in the first half alone. Tomas O Se said recently that Clifford was the greatest footballer of all-time and he certainly wasn't changing his mind after the final display at Croke Park. Asked if he was the greatest by Jacqui Hurley on The Sunday game, O Se replied: "I think he is, without doubt. "He does stuff on good and bad days. He is playing in an era where defences are physically so strong and zonal defences are so organised. "We all said in Kerry when he was blasting 2-8, 2-9 in minor games - wait til he gets to senior. He's doing the exact same at senior level with the best defences in the country. "I think he is the greatest of them all like. We wouldn't like to give him a big head, like," smiled O Se. "(Peter) Cavan, Mikey (Sheehy), Gooch (Colm Cooper), whoever it is like, I think he's on a level. He's judged differently as well." Dublin's six-time All-Ireland winner Paul Flynn backed up that view. He said: "I think that's across the board now. To lead this team the way he has this year is just the cap stone. The rules have given him a new life, given him space. Nine points on average, it's a sick joke really. It's phenomenally good.." Mark McHugh, brother of Donegal star Ryan and an All-Ireland winner himself in 20012, said the prospect of Clifford was scary for the rest of the country right now. "I think he's actually getting better and that's the scary part of this whole thing. He's got leaner this year and the new rules are suiting him to the ground. "The one good thing for Donegal coming up here today, at least they got to watch him play." "It was a joy to watch," said Mayo ladies GAA legend Cora Staunton on The Sunday Game. "It's poetry in motion. His first two points were two pointers. "Everything he did was just immense. At times he was drifting out, he was just brilliant. He had 12 or 13 possessions, nine points from play. I think he was a man possessed all year, he had that fight and aggression. That's 8-62 this year. Averaging nine pints a game, he's just phenomenal. "We talked two weeks ago about him being the greatest of all time. Without doubt, in the All-Ireland final today, he's certainly the greatest footballer at 26 years of age. Five All Stars already, two footballers of the year and probably another couple of awards coming at the end of the year as well." Kerry's David Clifford celebrates with his son Ogie and the Sam Maguire Cup Tyrone All-Ireland winner Enda McGinley was in full agreement. "(Brendan) McCole didn't do a lot wrong. He went for a face to face marking job but Clifford took off and cut that tight behind his Kerry teammate that McCole had to step off two metres otherwise he would have been hit by the screen of the laying off Kerry player. That gave him his metre or two for his score. He was so efficient, so sharp, he was awesome." Ciaran Whelan was quick to point out the role of his brother Paudie. The playmaker had an astonishing 76 possessions in the final. "He is the quarter-back. He was on so much ball, it was nearly criminal from a Donegal perspective," said the Dublin hero. 'He has a bit of everything. He gives, he goes, he can score. He's physically strong. You can see in his interview, he's a leader in the group too. He's the conductor in the orchestra. I think he has it all. "David is the best we have seen. He is a very different type of player."