A LIKELY place in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final is up for grabs when holders Limerick entertain Cork in a box-office penultimate round robin fixture at a sold-out Gaelic Grounds on Sunday (May 18), throw-in 4pm (referee: Liam Gordon, Galway).
Both teams are on three points apiece following the earlier stages of a championship that has delivered in spades again this spring.
Away from home for the opening couple of rounds, John Kiely’s outfit picked up a point in an opening day draw with Tipperary and followed up with an impressive victory over Waterford.
On the happenings at Walsh Park, Kiely reflected: “Our intensity throughout the game was really, really high. That’s something we’ve noticed in the championship this year, that the intensity levels in all teams have gone way up.”
“Very happy with where we’re at in that regard. Efficiency-wise, we’d like to be a little bit more efficient. I think we finished up around 67 per cent. We’d like a little bit more on that. That’s a work-on for us for the last couple of weeks and it’s a work-on going forward for the next couple of weeks as well.”
Earlier on Sunday (2pm), Tipperary and Waterford clash at Semple Stadium in Thurles.
Ahead of a frenetic time, the Shannonsiders will be out to avenge last year’s All-Ireland Championship semi-final loss to the Rebels at Croke Park.
And the county, seeking a sensational seventh provincial crown on the trot, are capable of moving a step closer to that landmark with victory at the famed Ennis Road venue in a few days’ time.
The Limerick XV, likely to be along similar lines to that which started last day out, will be announced on Friday night.
A week later, Limerick complete the preliminary phase with a visit from crestfallen (after the shock home loss to Tipp) All-Ireland champions Clare, and Cork entertain Waterford.
The Munster Final is fixed for Saturday June 7 (6pm).
