Replying To Mads: "Yeah, the handpass punishment is a bit of a joke, we seem to be the only team being punished. In fairness it's hard to know what to do against cork. That's 3 tight championship matches where they have managed to get on the right side of the result. We were able to say we had a lot of injuries last year. Nash was the last straw ahead of the semi. This time was different, finally a full pack to pick from and cork down 2 definite starters. A bit of a worry. Now look we haven't actually lost to them in play time yet this year.
The Sunday game highlighted how our half backline was exposed. Hannon wasn't the problem, we don't seem to be set up well to deal with the movement of the cork half forwards. Do we go extra defensive and have DO'D as a 3rd midfielder in place of Reidy. Or as was said do we make sure goal chances are taken against a leaky full backline..Hego's maybe wasn't a goal opportunity but there were 2 others we should have buried."
Supporters will always remember the decisions which go against them. On hand passing, you're definitely not the only county being blown for them. We were blown for at least two against Kilkenny. Not that it made a whole pile of difference in the finish. Cork supporters would argue that there was blatant foul on (I believe it was) Hayes in the build up Limerick's second goal. That was definitely a critical moment. As a genuine neutral, I thought the ref let a lot go, but he did do it for both teams. Both can definitely feel aggrieved about certain non-calls, but they also benefited from the same at times.
Even though we technically drew, the feeling of a defeat is still raw. While we have not lost to Cork this year and gave them a trimming when they were off it a few weeks ago, the narrative is now that they have our number and in some ways they do. They certainly won't doubt themselves if we meet again….
Focusing on the positives from Saturday. The ease with which Cork created goal changes against us last year was frightening but we have certainly tightened up in that regard in our meetings this year. We really went after their full back line in the first half and it is obvious Limerick feel they can be got at. If we took even half of the goal chances created in the first half, then it is a completely different game. Both teams left a lot of chances behind them but some of the Limerick misses were very uncharacteristic - the wind was a huge factor and the poor shot efficiency reminded me of our semi in Croke Park last year. If we do click and our shot efficiency is hopefully switched on in All Ireland series, we have a great chance.
Replying To Mads: "Yeah, the handpass punishment is a bit of a joke, we seem to be the only team being punished. In fairness it's hard to know what to do against cork. That's 3 tight championship matches where they have managed to get on the right side of the result. We were able to say we had a lot of injuries last year. Nash was the last straw ahead of the semi. This time was different, finally a full pack to pick from and cork down 2 definite starters. A bit of a worry. Now look we haven't actually lost to them in play time yet this year.
The Sunday game highlighted how our half backline was exposed. Hannon wasn't the problem, we don't seem to be set up well to deal with the movement of the cork half forwards. Do we go extra defensive and have DO'D as a 3rd midfielder in place of Reidy. Or as was said do we make sure goal chances are taken against a leaky full backline..Hego's maybe wasn't a goal opportunity but there were 2 others we should have buried."
"The Sunday game highlighted how our half backline was exposed." They tend to pick selective aspects of play the feed into how one team won and the other lost. Had Limerick won and it is not without the realms of reality that that could have happened, wouldn't they have highlighted Kyle Hayes' brilliant defensive work in how he cut out 3-4 Cork goals opportunities when the Cork forwards were doing what they love, to run at the opponent's defense? Limerick to me were far more solid defensively than last year. How many real goalscoring chances did Cork create this time? Balls will break and touches and deflections happen, and as a halfback line on any team, you'll be lucky to hold the likes of Harnedy, Tom Morrissey, or John Donnelly to 3 points or less per game.
I don't think that the Limerick half-back line was as exposed as much as was insinuated on the Sunday Game. Hannon, while a fine player and a great warrior and leader of Limerick hurling, doesn't it would seem have the legs anymore to go toe-to-toe with Shane Barrett for 70 minutes. Hayes, on the top of his game, does.
Replying To WanPintWin: "Supporters will always remember the decisions which go against them. On hand passing, you're definitely not the only county being blown for them. We were blown for at least two against Kilkenny. Not that it made a whole pile of difference in the finish. Cork supporters would argue that there was blatant foul on (I believe it was) Hayes in the build up Limerick's second goal. That was definitely a critical moment. As a genuine neutral, I thought the ref let a lot go, but he did do it for both teams. Both can definitely feel aggrieved about certain non-calls, but they also benefited from the same at times."