McManus: Cork will win final with repeat performance

Neil McManus believes Cork will win the All-Ireland Hurling final if they can carry the same performance levels from their semi-final triumph into the decider.

The Rebels dethroned Limerick on Sunday to book their place in the 21 July decider against Clare who are also looking to bridge a gap when it comes to reclaiming the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, former Antrim hurler McManus anticipates a battle for the ages between both teams but feels Cork can get over the line if they maintain the standards they set in the semi-final.

“I just think if Cork hurl the way they did yesterday, they will be All-Ireland champions,” he said.

“That was a level of performance we haven’t seen from this Cork team yet.

“But Clare have got to the All-Ireland final without playing their best yet and if they get their top players – Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell – firing on the same day, it’s going to be an epic battle and who would bet against Brian Lohan doing it as a manager as he has done previously as a player?”

McManus added that the intensity of both semi-finals, including the contributions from the two sides whose journeys ended, will whet the appetite for the crescendo to the season.

“My goodness, what a weekend of hurling, it was the Mardi Gras weekend for hurling fans and it delivered on Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

“If it’s anything like 2013, we are in for some treat. Cork were just incredible yesterday and a tip of the cap to Limerick as well.

“Cork pushed ahead on two or three occasions but Limerick just wouldn’t go away. They’ve been incredible champions and they fought to the bitter end and they did themselves and their supporters so, so proud.

“John Kiely’s men have given us so much over the past nearly decade now and there’s more to come from them in the future too.

“No doubt about it, they will not go away and their age profile is really good but the weekend belongs to Cork and Clare and the men from the Banner go up against the Rebels in an All-Ireland final.

“Cork were incredible yesterday. They were full value for their victory, that half-forward line just continues to deliver and that man Brian Hayes picking up 1-04 and the Man of the Match award. He was a game-winner.”

McManus also paid tribute to the quality of goalkeeping this year and believes it will be an unenviable task to choose any of the leading candidates when individual awards are doled out.

“The hardest job of the year might come down to the All-Star committee trying to pick the All-Star goalkeeper,” he said.

“Because Eibhear Quilligan was my Man of the Match in the Clare-Kilkenny game. Eoin Murphy, at the end of that game, pulled off one of the saves of the decade again and then yesterday Nickie Quaid was brilliant between the posts and his distribution is just phenomenal.

“But the day also belonged to Patrick Collins who made two unbelievable saves and he goes so direct now.

“He gives Cork a real platform to use that physical presence they have up front now. The level of goalkeeping now in terms of shot-stopping and possession-based play has just gone to another level now altogether. It was beautiful to watch.”