A Munster epic for the ages but where has this version of Cork been hiding?

At times, the Leinster man in me tries to resist the magic of the Munster Championship, but then a game like this comes along and all you can do is stand and applaud. This was a match for the ages, ranking right up there with the all-time great Munster clashes.

The big question I had after was this: where has this version of Cork been? This was the display everyone wanted to see, but they had to be on their last breath to produce the life-saving move. Their season was hanging by a thread in that second half, but they dealt with the inevitable Limerick surge, and then some.

The moment of the match? For me, it was the last free from Patrick Horgan (inset). I could see him eyeing the sideline and thought ‘no way’.

But in a crunch moment, I love seeing players composed and switched on. He’d already killed the clock a bit but by going to the corner he killed it more.

Even if Brian Hayes couldn’t get a shot off, he’d walk it over the sideline and force Limerick to come all the way back. It’s a smart play, the same thing

Limerick did to Kilkenny in the last play of the 2022 All-Ireland – managing the clock and the ball.

Another huge moment was the black card and while, technically speaking, Limerick had players back, for me there was no argument. There has to be a big punishment for any player who rugby tackles someone to the ground. It was a stone-cold black card.

Credit is in short supply for refs these days, but I must give Seán Stack plaudits. He was brilliant throughout and central to an incredible game.

Cork’s tactics were spot on. They ran hard lines, went with long puck-outs and created a big gap between the Limerick full-backs and half-backs. Cork ultimately decided they wouldn’t be physically bullied. Their forwards went to war with the Limerick backs but blended it with smart hurling also.

Crucially, they cut off the supply of quality ball to Limerick’s inside line. That’s the only way to beat Limerick and while you can’t be stupid about it, you have to bring them right to the edge.

Cian Lynch had little influence and Cork managed to keep the Limerick half-back line in check. Limerick’s six defenders had to defend harder than ever but Cork were getting around them, getting through them.

By Séamus Harnedy dropping out, it left Diarmaid Byrnes in no-man’s land, while Declan Hannon was in big trouble with Shane Barrett.

It’s easy to say now, but there were signs Limerick were creaking a bit. Their greatness is not under question but for parts of each game so far, their energy levels have dipped. They also had to go deep into their bench which means their medical team are working overtime. Daragh O’Donovan is a significant loss and Seán Finn limping off is of huge concern.

But it was a combination of things. Byrnes’ free-taking, so often their lifesaver, is a bit off. Look at the personnel they lost too. Is Fergal O’Connor like for like with Seán Finn? Absolutely not.

They weren’t firing for much of the game but like the great champions they are, when the opportunity arose, they piled through the door.

When Limerick are chasing games, they often get the last couple of scores before half-time but this time Cork got them, which made it an eight-point deficit instead of six.

Limerick dropped back in the second half, as they’d done against Clare, and it gave them a foothold. But Cork refused to lie down. Even when it looked like they’d slipped up, they found something.

There were going to be huge questions asked of Cork, particularly the management, if they lost. For me, a questionable call was taking off Eoin Downey after his yellow card.

It unsettled the defence and I think you have to back your player in that spot. If he has another foul, call him ashore, but it was a touch premature.

Cork also handed Limerick a get-outof-jail-free card twice with the two goals. You do have to mix up your puck-outs, but when Patrick Collins went short to Seán O’Donoghue, did he not see Gearóid Hegarty on him? Hegarty is not a man you go through easily.

Still, Cork showed immense resolve to fight back and this result has thrown things wide open.

If Waterford beat Limerick, the champions could go out and, from a competition point of view, it could not be set up any better.

Looking to Leinster, Carlow deserve a round of applause. It’s easy to say they got the benefit of a red card but Kilkenny went seven points up and to not see it out from there, even with 14 men, is poor game management.

But Carlow just kept coming in waves, using their extra man to great advantage. Kilkenny only got a couple of points in the last 15 minutes, which will be a big concern for Derek Lyng.

A draw isn’t the end of the world, but what we’re seeing – once again – is that it’s so hard to call any game with certainty.

As we head down the stretch of the provincial championships, it’s all up for grabs. You can’t ask for more.