Munster Football Final

[From the Bunker]

Tough to pay 80 squid odd in for that if you had a wife and two kids, let alone sacrafice a Sunday afternoon. Time to reprice, although the poor crowddidnot have anything to do with pricereally!

[Captain Obvious]

Cork weren't tested today and their next game isn't for another month that may affect them.

[From the Bunker]

Cork weren't tested today and their next game isn't for another month that may affect them.

ah, does it really matter? I think it's all about getting to your heights from the quarter final on. Up to that is just getting through the motions.

[emmetryan]

I've put together a tactical analysis piece on this game
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5953

[Captain Obvious]

Cork weren't tested today and their next game isn't for another month that may affect them.

ah, does it really matter? I think it's all about getting to your heights from the quarter final on. Up to that is just getting through the motions.

Would matter if they are paired with Tyrone,Kerry or Kildare off the back of three wins in three weeks.

[eviemonkey]

3-16 from play is a nice return for the Cork forwards but Clare played into our hands a bit by going man for man at the back. It made for an open game with plenty of room for the forwards on both sides but we can hardly expect the same kind of latitude the next day.

Cork looked a bit vulnerable at the back. We do not play a defensive sweeper but we tend to compensate for any defensive deficiencies by winning a lot of ball around the middle third. Today Clare got on top there and were able to create enough running channels to open up and expose the Cork back-line, which I am sure is something that would have been noted by some of the other top managers. Carey and Kissane are weak defensively at this level but Cork do not have any better options available so we will have to persevere with what we have and hope the midfield can win their battles out the field.

Cork looked more impressive in attack. Sheehan was outstanding today, great to have him back again as he has so much to offer. I still think the move of Murphy to the edge of the square will turn out to be a Plan B with an eye to overcoming a blanket defense late on in a game if Cork are in desperation mode. To start the next day I would see Goulding starting with Colm O'Neill moving to 14. O'Neill has good hands and would give us the option of hitting direct ball and Goulding is too good to have on the sidelines in a must-win knock-out game.

Clare competed well and have some very good footballers in Brennan and Donnelly. Tubridy is another fine player but he was trying to take on too much today and became a bit frustrated near the end. It will be interesting to see how Clare fare in Round 4 of the Qualifiers. They will be seen as the handy draw for whoever comes through but maybe a favourable draw of their own could open up a path to Croke Park.

[Farrandeelin]

Clare going man to man is madness, especially with someone like Kerrigan against you. If ever an extra man back was called for this game was it. Clare giving it their all but those goals are killing them, even though the 3rd goal was  a square ball.

Cork are some team all the same, they'll be hard  to stop this year.

Third goal was over the line, before Murphy contact.

Sure he handpassed it in in that case did he not?

[From the Bunker]

Clare going man to man is madness, especially with someone like Kerrigan against you. If ever an extra man back was called for this game was it. Clare giving it their all but those goals are killing them, even though the 3rd goal was  a square ball.

Cork are some team all the same, they'll be hard  to stop this year.

Third goal was over the line, before Murphy contact.

Sure he handpassed it in in that case did he not?

[theticklemister]

if ye see all 3 goals again, that big murphy was in the square for all 3 goals, so ALL of them coulda been disallowed. so a 3 point win for Cork today

[Syferus]

Ah poor Nic is getting a wee bit too excited about this being a forward craic!

[sligoman2]

Sean walsh needs to cop himself on at 35 euros for that. Only 32,000 less than last years final or to put it another way about 21% of last yeArs crowd.

Earth to Sean - theres a recession on and its cork v clare

Shocking