The Echo Sport Podcast

It was a disappointing few days of missed opportunities between Ireland's penalty shootout loss in the World Cup playoff and the Cork footballers' narrow defeat in Croke Park.

You could make the case that Meath deserved their Division 2 success but John Cleary's side, like Ireland, were in a strong position to end their 16-year wait for national silverware. The Rebels haven't won at Croker since 2015 and when Chris Óg Jones hit the net early in the second half to build on a two-point half-time lead, they looked well set.

However, Meath hit eight unanswered points in a nightmare period where Cork lost eight out of their nine kick-outs and failed to score for 16 minutes. Questions will be answered about the Rebels' set-up on restarts and Patrick Doyle's deliveries. Meath had clearly learned their lessons from the Páirc Uí Rinn meeting.

There were positives though. Jones, notwithstanding a couple of missed goal chances in the first half, impressed as he bagged 1-3 while Steven Sherlock was sublime, nailing 0-9. Daniel O'Mahony was a powerhouse again.

The refereeing performance of Kerry man Brendan Griffin certainly didn't endear him to Cork fans, as he failed to award any frees to Cork inside the scoring zone for fouls. Sherlock's only placed ball came from dissent following a sideline.

The weakness of the new hooter rule was also exposed, with Meath able to foul with impunity in the last minute, though Cork were also guilty of failing to get a shot off coming down the stretch with they trailed by two points after a great Brian Hurley goal.

On the football front, the Echo Podcast crew also look at the weekend action in the local leagues.

The hurlers head to TUS Gaelic Grounds for a sell-out Division 1 league final on Easter Sunday. The holders arguably have a free shot given last year they ended a 27-year wait to lift that title but seeing as it's Limerick they're facing, no quarter will be given.

If there's any pressure, it's on Limerick who won't want a repeat of last year's Munster final loss on their own turf. John Kiely's side will be pumped to the last and look to test Cork's young hurlers like Barry Walsh and William Buckley as well as Ciarán Joyce's capability as a full-back.

We all know, of course, verything hinges on championship and Cork have a very difficult eight-day start where they face Tipp and Limerick.

The U20s got their campaign up and running away to Tipp and put up a fine display as underdogs though a red card ultimately cost them.

Now in its fourth season, every week Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, Jack McKay, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.
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The pressure was on Cork to secure promotion to Division 1 for the first time since 2016 and they rose to the challenge in Omagh.

A great start meant they were up by a point having played into the strong breeze and, after a nervy spell midway through the second half they kicked on, helped by the introduction of Brian Hurley.

Hurley, Ruairí Deane, Ian Maguire and Brian O'Driscoll were in action when the Rebels last competed at the top grade and have stayed the course. Going up is a massive boost before the Munster championship and a great achievement by John Cleary and his management team, who were heavily questioned in recent seasons.

Can they now beat Meath in Croke Park to add a bit of silverware? Hopefully but it doesn't matter, because the hard work has been done in coming out of a very competitive division and gives Cork football a platform next season and beyond.

The Cork ladies football are also into a league final. With a game to spare to boot.

On the hurling front, we wondered if Cork would experiment at the weekend given Offaly were already relegated. Instead, they picked a championship-level line-up and smashed the visitors for six goals.

Barry Walsh, despite the U20 game coming up away to Tipp this week, was given a half and raised a green flag while the return of Padraig Power from injury to rifle two points was a boost.

Ciarán Joyce was redeployed at full-back as we predicted but hardly tested. Eoin Downey continues to look the part at wing-back though and Mark Coleman was full of energy on the other flank.

There wasn't a lot learned from a facile victory but the crowd of nearly 20,000 is a testament to the incredible backing the hurlers have. They'll pack out TUS Gaelic Grounds for the league final in what will be a belter with a Limerick side who looked terrific at times against Galway but also could have been caught late on.

There's also a round-up of the latest league action with Charleville grabbing their second victory in a row as they look to build on an impressive championship in 2025.

Now in its fourth season, every week Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, Jack McKay, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cork footballers' destiny is in their own hands after their nine-point victory over Kildare combined with Louth's defeat of Derry.

Division 1 is beckoning for the Rebels who are guaranteed to go up if they get a draw or a win away to Tyrone. They could actually go up even if they lose if Cavan, who are battling relegation, upset the odds against Derry, combined with a Meath win over Offaly, as Cork have the head-to-head against Louth.

The Echo Podcast crew go through the permutations heading into the last round of Division 2 fixtures, as well as breaking down the performance in Páirc Uí Rinn where the groundwork was laid in a blistering first half. John Cleary's side nailed eight two-pointers with the wind but ended up surviving a nervy fourth quarter.

A black card for Patrick Doyle and a penalty heaped the pressure but Micheál Aodh Martin appeared from the bench to not only save the spotter but also pull off a series of super stops. Up front, Chris Óg Jone and Steven Sherlock landed 1-19 between them but it was a strong collective effort. The return of Mark Cronin, Tommy Walsh, Ian Maguire, Seán Brady and Brian O'Driscoll made a difference from the Derry hammering, while Luke Fahy and Colm O'Callaghan continue to deliver stand-out displays.

The only concern is how Cork have faded in a few of their outings but it's a huge positive that they've put themselves in a position to make a first top-flight return for the first time in a decade. There's a feelgood factor about Leeside football for the first time in a while.

The hurlers are back from their warm-weather training camp for what should be a guaranteed win over Offaly in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night which would put them into a league final. The winner of Limerick and Galway would join them in what would be a cracking league decider on Easter Sunday.

It'll be interesting to see how experimental Ben O'Connor and his selectors go with their line-up.

On the local front, we look at the club football action where a number of Cork squad players, including Brian Hurley, togged out for the second round of fixtures. David Buckley showed his potential with a clinical showing for Newcestown

Now in its fourth season, every week Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, Jack McKay, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All the nonsense talk about the Cork hurlers as the leading contenders for Liam MacCarthy that has been spouted by pundits and supporters from outside the county bounds can be put to bed for now.

Limerick, who after a sluggish opener when losing to Waterford picked up a head of steam in the league, were worthy eight-point winners over the Rebels in TUS Gaelic Grounds last weekend.

Granted, Ben O'Connor and his selectors mixed it up with their team selection while the Treaty, who were shorn of Darragh O'Donovan, Peter Casey and Dan Morrissey through injury, were far closer to full strength. However they showed just why they're the team to beat for championship with their classic blend of power, pace and support play.

Cork actually battled very well for three quarters of the contest, especially as Shane O'Brien raised an early green flag. Their work-rate was decent and while every score was hard-earned they went toe-to-toe with the hosts for long spells.

There were plenty of positives, including Tommy O'Connell's snarling efforts at midfield and U20 forward Barry Walsh's energy on the wing.

Eoin Downey slotted into centre-back effectively and was strong in the air while the management were able to look at Shane Barrett as a roving corner-forward, Ciarán Joyce at midfield and Tim O'Mahony in the 11 geansaí.

There were a few concerns.

Limerick stuck three goals, even if the penalty call on an Aaron Gillane-Seán O'Donoghue tangle was as dubious as the championship decision in 2023. Cork's full-back line looks unsettled despite Dáire O'Leary doing well across the campaign.

At the other end, there weren't any clear-cut goals chances.

Even after bringing on experienced heads like Darragh Fitzgibbon, O'Donoghue and Seamus Harnedy, a blast of 2-5 without reply sunk Cork.

Plenty of work on at warm-weather training this week before a likely league final rematch with Limerick at the start of April.

Also on the podcast this week there's a look at the league action over the weekend and a preview of a huge Cork-Kildare Division 2 football joust at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Now in its fourth season, every week Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, Jack McKay, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cork hurlers secured only their second league win at Nowlan Park since 1987 after an impressive showing in desperate conditions.

In what was arguably the Rebels' most impressive performance and result this spring, they returned from a mid-league game with the right attitude and a serious goal threat. The three green flags raised by Brian Hayes and rookies Barry Walsh and Alan Walsh (no relation!) were decisive and Cork could afford a missed penalty by Alan Connoly and another handful of chances wasted.

The new faces included goalkeeper Paudie O'Sullivan and Hugh O'Connor, in his first start, but the likes of Seán O'Donoghue, Tim O'Mahony, Ciarán Joyce and Tommy O'Connell were powerful in an arm-wrestle on Noreside.

Cork were short a host of regulars, including Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy, Diarmuid Healy, Mark Coleman, Declan Dalton and Rob Downey, but competition for places is clearly starting to intensify.

They're off to Limerick on Saturday night but the chances are the rivals will collide in the league final and before their April Munster championship showdown at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Don't expect either side to give too much away next weekend at the Gaelic Grounds!

Unfortunately, the footballers' trip to Derry ended in a disastrous 20-point hammering. It means Cork, Meath and Derry are now deadlocked in the Divison 1 promotion race but the Rebels' scoring difference is far worse.

If they beat Kildare and Tyrone in the last two games they could still go up but it's all to play for again now. We look at what went wrong in Celtic. At least they have a warm-weather training camp to reset before they return to action at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Thankfully, the ladies footballers kept their league final drive on track with a one-point win over Waterford. Katie Quirke again came up with the big scores, including the late winner, for Joe Carroll's unbeaten charges.

We also look at the start of the local leagues and break down the major decisions taken at GAA Congress and how they'll impact Cork teams.

Now in its fourth season, every week Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, Jack McKay, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.