Tony Considine: Limerick hurlers have more to come, which is bad news for Cork 

IT was a huge weekend of hurling but if you were to ask me which game gave the best entertainment, I would have to say it was the McDonagh Cup final between Offaly and Laois. 

I know it’s the second-tier hurling championship, but this was a high quality game, played by two very good teams with Offaly just holding on to win. Offaly had a great week on the hurling front after the All-Ireland U20 final but most important of all, got promoted to the top tier. 

I’m sure Pat Ryan was a spectator at this game as Cork are next up for Offaly in Tullamore this Saturday. You are in a no-win situation with these games as Cork will be expected to get through with a bit to spare. But I’m sure the Cork management and players won’t take too much heed to that. There is a job to be done and you have to go out and do it. 

There is always added pressure when you are expected to win, and win easily. As it is a few weeks since Cork played they will have to dust off a few cobwebs and get going again. But I expect them to win this game and to move on to the next level as does everyone.

The two provincial finals were to me a bit of a let-down, especially the one in Croke Park. Kilkenny were in great form but it was a no-show from Dublin. 

I like the look of this Kilkenny team. They are very solid all over the pitch with six very good defenders and an outstanding goalkeeper and of course with TJ and John Donnolly, Eoin Cody and especially Adrian Mullen, Kilkenny have forwards that can do real damage. 

I believe they will have a big say in this championship. 

Can Dublin recover from a trouncing like that? I don’t think so, and more than likely it will be Cork they will be playing in their next game. Another tall order. It’s in Thurles and we all know that this Dublin team do not travel well, especially playing a county whose second favourite venue is Thurles.

Finishing third in Munster worked out well Cork to reach the All-Ireland semi-final. 

After my Saturday in Dublin, I thought surely I would see better hurling in the Munster final between the greatest of rivals, Limerick and Clare. What a fantastic atmosphere, but I think the ‘power cut’ took a lot out of it as the game was delayed by half an hour. 

The atmosphere was not as good after. These things happen and the Munster Council handled it fairly well. But I did think it affected the game because both teams had warmed up and were ready for action before the 30-minute delay. 

Limerick were by far the better team but found it hard to put Clare away. Clare kept hanging on in there even though they were nowhere near their best. Hard to put your finger on that, in their third final in a row against Limerick. 

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Clare seemed to lack that real intensity and physicality that is needed when playing a Munster final. I don’t think that Limerick were even at their best which makes it even harder for Clare to take. 

Some of Clare’s top players didn’t perform. It made easy pickings for Limerick, but I”m sure John Kiely will know that this performance will not be good enough in a semi-final, which more than likely will be against Cork.

Limerick are capable of that improvement. After all they are going for five in a row and they know Croke Park so well. 

For the last number of years they have classed it as their second home. 

Brian Lohan is taking the scenic route now and will more than likely have to play Wexford the next day out. Brian will have to use all of his managerial experience to bring his team back up from their boot laces, as I’m sure they are well down now. 

Psychologically that is going to be a big battle but that is what management is all about. You have to recover from the bad days as well as the good days. 

He has a big job on his hands now but no better man to do that. I’m sure he will get the response that is needed as they have been down this road before.