CORK are one game away from their first Munster football final in five years.
Only Tipperary stand in their way in Semple Stadium, Thurles this Saturday (2pm) for a semi-final clash.
The last time the two sides met in championship was in the 2020 Munster final where Cork fell to a 0-17 to 0-14 defeat - a result that handed Tipp their first provincial title in 85 years.
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Since then, the Premier County have regressed, spending the last three seasons in Division 4 and not playing Division 2 football since 2019. Their last provincial championship win, other than Waterford, was that decider against the Rebels.
With Cork now promoted to Division 1 and Tipp operating as a Division 4 side, this is a game John Cleary’s team are expected to win.
However, the Cork boss will be looking for improvements in key areas.
The second half performance is the most pressing concern. Cork were outscored 1-9 to 0-6 after the break against Limerick in their Munster quarter-final, a statistic that did not please Cleary despite the 4-16 to 1-16 victory.
That was the eighth second half in nine games where the Rebels have been outscored. If there is one objective this weekend, it is to ‘win’ the second period and build confidence ahead of tougher opposition.
Kick-out efficiency will also be under scrutiny. For the first time in four matches, Cork won more of their own restarts than they lost against Limerick.
They also scored 3-4 off their own kick-outs, while Limerick managed 1-3 from Cork’s restarts, with the concession of a penalty the only real blemish.
Those figures suggest Micheal Aodh Martin may be a better option over Patrick Doyle, given the latter’s performance against Meath in the Division 2 final, when Cork conceded 1-10 off their own kick-outs.
There may be another option between the posts. Darragh Newman, currently third-choice goalkeeper, has impressed at club level with St Finbarr’s with his quick and accurate restarts. He has featured just once for Cork - in the McGrath Cup against Limerick - but could offer an alternative if management look to freshen things up.
All signs point to Cork progressing to a Munster final. The result may be expected - but the performance, and the lessons taken from it, will matter just as much.
