Rebels need to energise

Kieran Kingston and Co must have paid great attention at training camp to the work rate of their forwards and the personnel of their half- back line — weaknesses shown up by Limerick.

It must be frustrating for Kingston ( below) that, despite having so many players with great skill and pace, Cork come up short when faced by physical teams.

They might persuade themselves to keep the faith and everything will be OK.

It won’t. That team and formation may well be good enough to beat Clare and Tipperary and thus earn qualification from Munster — and also good enough to beat most teams in Leinster.

But when Cork meet Limerick or Waterford again, the result will be in the same as in the League final and in their Munster opener.

Who will be at number three and, especially, number six?

And will the three thirtysomethings — Pat Horgan, Conor Lehane and Seamus Harnedy — be among the starting forwards?

Brave

A brave selection would reenergise the team.

One of the many things about having Brian Lohan as manager is that supporters know that the Clare team will play to the limit and that he’ll do his best for them.

I’m sure that himself and his coach, Sean Treacy, will have given much thought into how they allowed such a limited Tipp team to get a run at them for 20 minutes last weekend.

It’s surprising that Tipp got a run in the middle third, when you consider the players that Clare had there.

A repeat cannot be countenanced tomorrow, as that type of game — with runners allowed to charge forward — would suit Cork down to a tee.

It’s just a shame that David Fitzgerald doesn’t realise that he could be to Clare what Gearoid Hegarty is to Limerick, given his size, athleticism and skill, and play accordingly.

Clare are not without hope but they are missing so many forwards that Cork should have just about enough.